House File 781 seeks to remove the long-standing exemption in Iowa’s Smokefree Air Act that currently allows smoking on casino gaming floors. While a companion measure in the Senate did not advance, supporters in the House say the proposal represents a necessary step toward modernizing public health standards and creating fairer conditions across hospitality and gaming venues.

Protecting Workers and Modernizing Standards

Rep. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, who sponsored the bill, emphasized her personal experience working in smoke-permitted environments and framed the proposal as both a public health and workforce issue.

She recalled leaving her clothes and shoes “at the garage door” to keep her home from “smelling like an ashtray,” adding that eliminating the casino exemption has been a priority for more than a decade.

“If filtration systems and air systems work, then why didn’t we let everybody do that? And if nonsmoking sections worked, which we had them in restaurants, why didn’t we let people continue that way?” Lundgren said. “It’s time, with cancer rates the way that they are in the state of Iowa, it is time to move this forward and protect those employees over profits, which I don’t think are going to drop anyway.”

Health advocacy groups including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, and the Iowa Nurses Association testified in favor of the bill, arguing that there is “no safe level” of secondhand smoke and that the measure would significantly improve working conditions for casino employees.

Public Health Data Strengthens the Case

Jackie Cale, representing the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, highlighted Iowa’s public health challenges during the subcommittee hearing.

She noted that Iowa currently has the second-highest cancer rate in the United States, and that lung cancer incidence rates are declining more slowly than in other states, according to the Iowa Cancer Registry. Tobacco use and radon exposure remain the leading risk factors.

“If Iowa is serious about addressing our high cancer rates, tobacco control needs to be a part of that equation,” Cale said.

Industry Investment and Competitive Considerations

From the industry perspective, representatives acknowledged that casinos have already made substantial investments to improve air quality. Mary Earnhardt of the Iowa Gaming Association stated that casinos have spent “millions” on air filtration and ventilation systems over the years.

She cautioned, however, that removing the smoking exemption could affect competitive dynamics.

“Eliminating Iowa’s gaming floor smoking exemption would create an uneven regulatory treatment among competitors operating in the same markets, both within Iowa and across state lines,” Earnhardt said, noting competition from neighboring states and tribal casinos, which are not subject to state smoking laws.

Jake Highfill, speaking on behalf of Penn Entertainment and Ameristar, echoed those concerns, describing the bill as creating a “competitive disadvantage,” while clarifying that all areas of Ameristar casinos except gaming floors are already smoke-free.

Building Legislative Momentum

Despite industry concerns, the bill gained bipartisan support in the House subcommittee. Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, a physician, described the proposal as “long overdue,” while Rep. David Young, R-Van Meter, also voted in favor.

Lundgren pushed back against arguments that casinos should remain exempt, drawing parallels to earlier hospitality regulations.

“If it’s good for one, it should be good for all,” she said. “… I’ve been very supportive of the casinos, but I think it’s time to level the playing field.”

While a Senate subcommittee declined to advance a similar bill in January, Lundgren expressed confidence in the House path forward.

“I think we have to speak for the 4,000 casino employees in the state of Iowa that don’t have a choice,” she said.

If enacted, the measure would mark a significant regulatory shift for Iowa’s gaming industry, aligning casino workplaces more closely with statewide health standards while reinforcing the broader industry trend toward employee protection, sustainability, and long-term operational resilience.