Despite the increasing popularity bans on smoking in restaurants and other public places are enjoying around the world, a gubernatorial proposal seeking to turn Virginia establishments smoke-free likely will be snuffed out next week.
The General Assembly passed legislation allowing restaurants to do away with no-smoking sections if they posted “smoking permitted” signs at their entrances. Without the signs, restaurants could not allow smoking at all.
Gov. Tim Kaine amended the bill so that the measure now totally bans smoking in Virginia restaurants, something that irked the legislation’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
Griffith said Tuesday that he would work to defeat the amendment when lawmakers convene April 4, which would send the original bill back to Kaine. The governor then has the options of signing or vetoing the bill.
Any kind of smoking ban would be startling in Virginia, which is home to cigarette giant Philip Morris. Tobacco has been grown in Virginia almost since the commonwealth’s founding in 1607, and the cigarette industry has considerable clout in Richmond.
“I gave my word to the General Laws Committee that I would fight attempts to strengthen my bill, and I am opposed to the amendment from a public-policy standpoint,” Griffith said. “Smoking is still legal, and if a private business owner wants to allow smoking, we should not make it impossible for smokers to go out and get a bite to eat.”
Griffith said he might have been able to support a partial ban that allowed smoking in cigar bars and a few other places.
Virginia law has no legal definitions for bars and restaurants, which makes writing legislation to differentiate between the two difficult.
