Miss. Senate panel limits proposed smoking ban

Publication Date: 2011-01-26

• Publication:Bloomberg

The Mississippi Senate Public Health Committee has significantly limited the scope of a proposed widespread smoking ban.

After the changes made Wednesday, the bill would only ban smoking in government buildings.

Some lawmakers say that makes the bill useless because a 2006 state law already has such a ban.

This year's bill was originally proposed a smoking ban for restaurants, casinos and most other types of businesses, as well as government sites. Opponents say a smoking ban in businesses would infringe on property owners' rights.

The bill moves to the full Senate for more work, and an effort could be made to put businesses back in.