Smokers are breathing a sigh of relief

Publication Date: 2005-03-23

• Author:AP
• Publication:9NEWS (Denver, CO)

Democratic state Senator Dan Grossman says he's delaying his plan to introduce a bill that would ban smoking in public places statewide, after increasing opposition from Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillman of Burlington says all 17 Republican senators are opposing the bill, because it infringes on personal freedom and property rights.

That means the only way to pass the bill out of the Senate is for Grossman to corral all 18 Democratic votes. But he's acknowledged that a few Democrats have told him they have reservations about the bill.