SPRINGFIELD - Less than two months after Illinois' smoking ban kicked in, efforts to allow smoking in casinos and private clubs for veterans got off to a slow start Wednesday.

Lawmakers delayed votes on smoking ban exemptions in a House committee despite having several scheduled, but the issue caused sparks all the same.

Early on, Democrats used a procedural maneuver to prevent a lawmaker from altering his plan to allow smoking in Veterans of Foreign Wars halls and American Legion posts.

The lawmaker, state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, slammed down his chair in the hearing room, berated a Democratic staff member in the hallway and later called the committee's chairwoman "an idiot."

Some veterans argue they shouldn't be denied the ability to smoke in their private clubs. Bloomington veteran Arthur Valeu, on the other hand, said he doesn't want to be used as a political pawn.

"I don't want my service to this country to be used in that way," said Valeu, who supports the ban.

Casinos fought for an exemption to the original ban last year but didn't receive one. This month, Harrah's Metropolis blamed layoffs directly on business lost across the border because of the smoking ban.

Casino officials also contend less money is gambled because patrons head outside occasionally to smoke.

But numbers out of Indiana show gambling revenue has slowed there, too, without a smoking ban.

Even if lawmakers eventually approved exemptions to the ban, Gov. Rod Blagojevich would have to sign off as well. He approved it just months ago and in December called it a "long-awaited law."

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865.