The Virginia Senate approved a sweeping ban on smoking in most publicly used buildings Tuesday, but it is likely to see the measure fail in the House of Delegates that last year spurned a similar attempt.
The Senate voted 23-15 to pass the Virginia Smoke Free Air Act, sponsored by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington, which establishes fines for lighting up “in most areas frequented by the public,” according to a summary of the bill. It applies to bars and restaurants, as well as malls and banks. An exemption is provided for hotel rooms designed for smoking, tobacco shops and some private rooms in nursing homes.
Whipple said the legislation was sparked by the danger of secondhand smoke. Opponents in Virginia’s powerful tobacco industry and other groups say it infringes too deeply on personal choice.
“In our opinion it’s a business-choice issue, not only for the businesses but the patrons and the employees too,” said Barrett Hardiman, director of government relations for the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, who added that two-thirds of restaurants in Virginia are alreadysmoke-free.
The bill also would allow local governments to create tougher restrictions, which opponents also objected to.
The measure is expected to see difficulty in the Republican-controlled House of Delegates.
“As far as the bill passing the Senate, that’s pretty much how we expected it to go,” Hardiman said. “We’re expecting a little more resistance in the House of Delegates; that’s where we’ll be focusing our effort.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
