Amendment sought to state smoking ban

OLYMPIA — Storm Reyes regularly burns sage, willow bark and tobacco during prayer ceremonies — a practice she worries is now illegal under the state's new smoking ban.

On Tuesday Reyes, who has Puyallup tribal ancestry, burned sage just before testifying at a Senate hearing in favor of a bill that would exempt religious ceremonies from the anti-smoking law approved by voters in November.

"The point is not to smoke it, it is to send it," said Reyes, who explained how she uses smoke during the ceremonies.

Lawmakers in the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research and Development Committee considered a bill to amend the law, which bans smoking in public buildings and workplaces, as well as within 25 feet of doorways.

Supporters of the bill, SB-6213, say it restricts Native American religious practices, such as pipe ceremonies that use tobacco.

Many of the ceremonies by urban tribes like the Puyallups are held in public buildings off tribal land, said Sen. Debbie Regala, D-Tacoma, who sponsored the bill.

Critics of Regala's bill say the exemption could be abused by smokers and business owners.

"There are a lot of folks out there looking for loopholes in the existing law," said Nick Federici, a spokesman for the American Lung Association, which helped sponsor the anti-smoking initiative.

"I think they would be delighted to try to take advantage of a religious loophole."

Opponents to Regala's bill also say the new no-smoking law targets tobacco, not materials used in religious ceremonies.

She said the anti-smoking law doesn't specify tobacco, so burning incense or sage could be considered illegal. The ACLU supports the religious exemption.

Because the smoking ban was passed by an initiative, the bill must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate to become law.

If the exemption fails, Reyes said, she will sue the state.

Karen Johnson: 360-943-9882 or karenjohnson@seattletimes.com