The Illinois Senate has advanced legislation to amend the state’s 15-month-old smoking ban to allow smoking indoors when it’s part of a religious ceremony, ritual or activity.
The Illinois Senate has advanced legislation to amend the state’s 15-month-old smoking ban to allow smoking indoors when it’s part of a religious ceremony, ritual or activity. Since passage of the smoking ban, American Indians who want to use smoke indoors for tribal ceremonies have been told those portions must be done outside because of the state’s new ban. Some smoke in the ceremonies include burning prairie grasses or the use of ceremonial pipes. The proposed amendment, which passed without opposition on Wednesday, protects the rights of American Indians to practice any recognized religious ceremony, ritual or activity that is in accordance with the federal American Indian Religious Freedom Act. The sponsor of the measure, Democratic Sen. John Sullivan of Rushville, Thursday the amendment could become part of the act by May. ______ Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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