New Haven: Smoking Law Upheld

The Connecticut Supreme Court yesterday upheld a 2003 state law that bans smoking in restaurants and bars but allows it in private clubs and casinos. In a 4-to-1 vote, the court rejected a claim that exempting private clubs and the state’s two tribal casinos violated the rights of businesses affected by the law. The law had been challenged by a group of bar and restaurant owners who claimed that the ban was unconstitutional and hurt their businesses. The group claimed that the ban violated their rights to equal protection under the law. But the court determined that the legislature had the right to make exceptions.