HARRISBURG — State House members on Sunday readied for final passage a proposal to ban smoking in most public places, a version that grants fewer exceptions than legislation passed by the state Senate last month.

During four hours of debate Sunday, the House amended the bill to permit smoking in exhibition halls that host events in which tobacco distributors promote their products, allowing companies to hold up to six such events a year. On Saturday, members added private, nonprofit clubs to the list of establishments exempted from the ban.

An effort to add casinos to the list of exempted locations failed by a vote of 137-62 Sunday. The Senate's bill would exempt one quarter of the gambling floors at slots parlors.

Rep. Timothy Solobay, D-Washington, argued that covering casinos with a ban would hurt their profits, noting that Pennsylvania legalized gambling in part to help reduce homeowners' property taxes.

"We need to let them have local control" over indoor smoking policies, Solobay said.

Opponents, however, argued that allowing smoking in casinos would jeopardize the health of employees.

"We should not be protecting some workers and not others," said Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester. "We should make this legislation apply as broadly as possible."

Members narrowly rejected a proposal to exempt business owners' private offices from the ban. They also defeated an amendment that would create a special "smokers' establishment" license enabling establishments that do not serve or employ anyone under the age of 18 to permit smoking.

Rejected by a 175-24 vote was a proposal by Rep. Curt Schroder, R-Chester, to completely outlaw the use and sale of tobacco products.

"Instead of taking this incremental, backdoor approach (to banning smoking) ... let's march right through the front door," Schroder said. "Let's eliminate and prohibit the sale and use and possession of tobacco products here in the state of Pennsylvania, and let's really put our money where our mouth is."

"This might really cause me to quit" smoking, Rep. Robert E. Belfanti Jr., D-Northumberland, joked before the vote.

The House bill already granted exceptions to private homes, retail tobacco businesses, and 25 percent of hotel and motel rooms.

Gov. Ed Rendell has called for a ban on smoking in most public places as part of his broad "Prescription for Pennsylvania" agenda to lower the cost of health care, broaden its availability and improve its quality.

The Senate approved a smoking ban on June 26, with many of the same exceptions that were being debated in the House. But Rendell has threatened to veto the Senate's version because it would allow smoking in smaller home day-care settings.