State Health Groups Oppose Law That Could Reopen Bars to Smoking

Thursday, September 11th, 2025 -- 8:00 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) Health care groups are opposing a proposed law that could reopen up Wisconsin bars to smoking.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, a group including UW-Health, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association say Assembly Bill 211 creates large loopholes to allow smoking in nearly any bar.

The bill would allow smoking inside of “tobacco bars” and allow the use of cigars, pipe tobacco and brown cigarettes indoors. Current law defines a tobacco bar as any bar that gets 15 percent of its revenue from tobacco sales and it had to be established before the 2009 indoor smoking ban passed.

The bill’s language would allow any current tavern to qualify so long as they purchase a tobacco sales license. The State Assembly could take up the bill on the floor this week.

A companion bill in the State Senate has not made it to committee for discussion.

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