Two years after locking horns in a bitter fight over a statewide indoor smoking ban, the Ohio Restaurant Association and anti-smoking groups are now on the same side, fighting proposed exemptions to the law.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the smoking ban in 2006, and since then some veterans groups, bar owners and others have called for the legislature to carve out exceptions to the law.

Thirteen senators have signed onto Senate Bill 346, which would allow smoking at certain family-owned businesses and private clubs. Meanwhile, House Bill 592 would exempt stand-alone bars from the ban.

Restaurant owners and anti-smoking groups have reignited their efforts as the legislature kicks off another lame-duck session -- the often frantic two-month period before the start of a new General Assembly.

The Ohio Restaurant Association is concerned about fairness, and recently sent letters to a number of legislators. Meanwhile, the anti-smoking coalition SmokeFreeOhio is using radio ads to highlight the health dangers of weakening the ban.

"We lost the fight in 2006. We didn't like the proposal, but now we want a level playing field," said Richard Mason, chief lobbyist for the Ohio Restaurant Association. "The legislation would allow one member on one side of the street to allow smoking, but the member on the other side couldn't. We don't think that makes sense."

Although there was a lot of rhetoric in 2006 that the smoking ban would hurt businesses, Mason said, "some of that was probably blown out of proportion."

"Very few of my members are complaining about it."

John Hoctor, chief lobbyist for the American Cancer Society, Ohio Division, said the bills would open up smoking in thousands of businesses, exposing many to second-hand smoke and "causing a public health enforcement nightmare."

Gov. Ted Strickland tried to exempt 1,500 members-only clubs from the smoking ban, but was rejected by both the Franklin County Common Pleas Court and Court of Appeals. In June, the Ohio Supreme Court allowed those decisions to stand.

jsiegel@dispatch.com