Wisconsin Status

**Scottbee** · 10-01-2009, 06:59 PM

As most of you Wisconsinites know, a "smoking ban" will be put into effect in July of next year. This will effect your ability to smoke in businesses including bars and restaurants.

A co-worked of min EMAIL'ed our state officials to ensure that this would have no effect on those of us who partook in the joys of PV's. This is the response from the Lieutenant Governor:

You are correct in your assumption that the smoking ban will not apply to electronic cigarettes. In order for the smoking ban to apply, the smoking product must contain tobacco.

For your reference, here is the statutory definition of smoking (from Wis 101.123(1)(h) (intro.)):

"Smoking" means burning or holding, or inhaling or exhaling smoke from, any of the following items containing tobacco:

1. A lighted cigar.
2. A lighted cigarette.
3. A lighted pipe.
4. Any other lighted smoking equipment.

Please let me know if you have further questions.

Truly yours,

Barbara Lawton
Lieutenant Governor

I plan on carrying a printed copy of that in my wallet.

**Sad Society** · 10-01-2009, 07:01 PM

That's Awesome. Thats a lot better than what been going on here in CA.

**woodslady1** · 10-01-2009, 07:04 PM

Thank you so much for sharing this information with us, Scott. I live near Wausau and I, too, will be printing this out and carrying it with me at all times.

**aschmidy** · 10-01-2009, 07:17 PM

Thanks Scott! I live in the Tomah area and I will be carrying this, too. This is great! Is this our same Lieutenant Governor that had the DUI in the State Vehicle? Gotta Love Wisconsin.

**woodslady1** · 10-01-2009, 07:21 PM

I believe you are right on that one, aschmidy!

**yknotagain** · 10-01-2009, 10:46 PM

No, that was Peg Lautenschlager, not Barb Lawton.

Controversy

In February 2004, Lautenschlager made national headlines after pleading guilty to drunk driving in Dodge County, about an hour away from Madison. A Dodge County sheriff's deputy reported to the scene to find her state-owned vehicle in the ditch, and her unharmed inside. Her preliminary breathalizer test at the scene showed that her blood alcohol level was 0.12, 50% above the legal limit of 0.08. Lautenschlager said that she had fallen asleep at the wheel, and had consumed only two glasses of wine earlier that evening. She was arrested, and later released to her husband. She refused a blood test, which is standard for a DUI stop in Wisconsin. (Dodge County Case Number 2004TR001348)

A state Ethics Board investigated Lautenschlager's case and ruled that some use of the state car for personal use exceeded state-allowed limits. Lautenschlager reimbursed some of the costs and paid a fine of $784. Her driver's license was also revoked for a year.