IRVINE : Bingo Smoking Ban Delayed Until July

A smoking ban on all school district property has been delayed until July 1 by school board members, giving one last gasp to fund-raising bingo games on school grounds.

The Irvine Unified School District board last week approved the second reading of a policy required by new state legislation. The policy bans smoking on all school district property and in district vehicles, whether or not students are present.

But the state gives school districts until July to implement the policy.

Bingo operators are still looking for a low-cost location for twice-weekly games that raise about $60,000 a year for high school instrumental music programs. Because smoking is common among bingo fans, most players surveyed said they would not attend games if smoking is prohibited.

Beginning Dec. 26, a federal law will prohibit smoking inside all school district buildings; bingo operators say they will create smoking breaks. High school music boosters say they are unsure what effect the federal law will have on bingo profits.

Bingo operators say it will no longer be profitable to hold the games on school district property after July 1. High school music boosters say the cost of leasing an alternative location for the games is prohibitive and nonprofit organizations are reluctant to allow smoking in their facilities.

The smoking ban will not have much effect on the district’s 1,050 teachers, according to Steve Garretson, president of the Irvine Teachers Assn. Smoking was banned at district schools during the school day about two years ago, he said.

“There are very few teachers who smoke,” Garretson said. “I haven’t received any complaints.”