An amended version of a smoking ban bill was approved Tuesday by the Louisiana Senate on and the bill faces a House committee next week.
The bill was written by Sen. Rob Marionneaux, Jr., D-Grosse Tete, and would prohibit smoking in public places such as restaurants. The bill also includes public transportation, libraries, theaters, concert halls, museums, courtrooms and health-care facilities in the ban.
The bill was amended and will not ban smoking in restaurants that have an enclosed and separate bar room. Before the amendment to the bill, smoking was banned in all restaurants.
Bars, private residences, a hotel or motel room designated as a smoking room, tobacco bars and casinos are not included in the ban.
The bill’s purpose is “to protect nonsmokers from involuntary exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in most indoor areas open to the public.” The bill states the importance to reach a balance between the health concerns of people who do not use tobacco and the need to minimize “unwarranted governmental intrusion.”
Senate Bill 742 will now move to the House Committee on House and Welfare.
 
Contact Justin Fritscher at [email protected]