Thursday, August 20 2009
By Martha Stoddard (
Omaha World-Herald)
LINCOLN —
It will be at least October before the first patron can legally light up in a Nebraska cigar bar.
Hobert Rupe, executive director of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, said Thursday the wait will depend on how quickly a set of rules and regulations moves through the approval process.
He commented after a commission hearing on draft rules and regulations. The commission is expected to vote at its September meeting on adopting - and possibly amending - those rules.
A new state law takes effect Aug. 30 exempting specially licensed cigar bars from the statewide public smoking ban.
The exemption is in addition to those for tobacco shops, some hotel rooms, laboratories used for research on smoking and home-based businesses.
Cigar bars face legal fog continues at omaha.com...
