LOS ANGELES : Bernardi Proposes Stiffer Restaurant Smoking Curbs

City Councilman Ernani Bernardi on Wednesday proposed a plan to prohibit smoking in Los Angeles’ 8,000 restaurants unless 70% of an eatery’s seating is set aside for nonsmokers in separately enclosed areas.

Bernardi’s motion comes in the wake of the council’s decision last week to increase the amount of restaurant seating for nonsmokers from 50% to 60%, and to 70% in 1994.

Bernardi said the city must go further to protect nonsmokers, who make up eight of every 10 restaurant patrons, from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Restaurant owners who choose not to offer separate facilities could comply with the proposed ordinance by setting aside 70% of their seating as “segregated” nonsmoking sections and by installing ventilation systems that circulate the air once every six minutes throughout the seating area, he said.

Bernardi’s plan drew criticism from the council’s primary anti-smoking advocate, Marvin Braude, who failed last week to win support for an outright smoking ban in restaurants. Braude said the new proposal will not work because of its prohibitive costs to restaurant owners.