The Law Office of James Dorgan, P.C. is a small law office owned by James Dorgan, an attorney, who is licensed to practice law in both Alabama and Florida. The office, which opened in 1996, is located in downtown Fairhope.

Although Mr. Dorgan may focus on a number of specific areas, it is generally regarded as a general practice, which primarily assists individuals and businesses.    Please call for a complimentary phone interview to see if Mr. Dorgan is able to help you.

Law Office of James Dorgan, P.C.

314 Magnolia Avenue, Suite B

Fairhope Alabama 36532

251.928.0192 phone

251.928.3212 fax

email

NEWS FLASH: Montrose  Senator Tripp Pittman unilaterally fights state wide health initiative, bucks trend of similar initiatives passed in his own county

State Senate panel approves indoor-smoking ban

MONTGOMERY -- The Senate Education Committee approved a bill Thursday that would ban smoking in public places and indoor areas, with a handful of exceptions.

"It's going to help thousands of lives in the state of Alabama," state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, the bill sponsor, said after the vote. "It's going to help with health care costs. It's going to increase employees' productivity and reduce potential lawsuits brought by employees because of secondhand smoke."

The bill bans smoking within most indoor places, and enables business owners to prohibit smoking in certain outdoor areas. The ban also applies to bleachers and grandstands at sporting events.The bill allows smoking in homes, tobacco stores and cigar bars; in private hotel rooms if the hotel allows smoking in 20 percent or fewer rooms; and in nursing home or long-term care rooms in certain situations.

Figures' bill passed the committee 7-1, with state Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, voting no.

Pittman described himself as a smoking opponent who has seen family members suffer from its effects. "From the health side, obviously smoking is terrible," he said. But he added, "From a philosophical side, we need to provide these people with an option, where (if smoking is allowed) they can vote with their feet."

The committee heard testimony on the ban Wednesday, many from students who urged its adoption.

Figures has made curtailing smoking a priority throughout her 11-year term. The Clean Air Act of 2003, sponsored by Figures, banned smoking in certain public places, designated areas for smoking and empowered municipalities to pass stricter smoking laws.

A Figures-sponsored ban on smoking in restaurants passed the Senate in 2004 but died in a House committee, as did bills brought by Figures in 2006 similar to this year's measure.

Figures said she has not spoken to Senate leadership yet about scheduling the bill for a vote. The Senate Democratic Caucus endorsed the bill as part of a general health and safety package earlier this month.

"I kind of take that one step at a time," Figures said. "That's the next hurdle to jump, but I am very confident."