An Annapolis alderman is calling for a citywide smoking ban for bars and restaurants in order to fill a loophole in an Anne Arundel County smoking ban bill that could exempt the city.
Alderman Sam Shropshire, a Democrat who represents Ward 7, said he plans to introduce the measure at the City Council meeting on Feb. 12.
Shropshire said his bill would only go into effect if a recently proposed countywide ban is also voted into law.
Last week, County Executive John Leopold proposed that the County Council outlaw smoking in public bars and restaurants. His bill left the option open for Annapolis bars and restaurants to continue to allow smoking, said his spokeswoman, Rhonda Wardlaw.
County Council Chairman Rob Dillon is delaying action on the countywide ban in case the state legislature passes a statewide ban during the 2007 session. If the statewide ban doesn?t occur, the county would vote on the bill in April, County Councilman Ed Reilly said.
“I?m hopeful that my initiative will help promote the impetus to pass a total, statewide ban. At the same time, I?m glad to see support from state, county and local officials,” Leopold said in response to Shropshire?s proposal.
If both the county and citywide bans are passed, they would go into effect on the same day, Shropshire said. And if the countywide ban doesn?t pass, the citywide ban won?t either, Shropshire said.
Both Annapolis and Anne Arundel County should enact the ban at the same time, so that it will not throw the local economy out of whack if people travel to different parts of the county to meet their smoking preference, Shropshire said.
“The issue is that people won?t go over city limits in one direction or another,” Shropshire said.
