State House To Vote On Illinois Smoking Ban

Publication Date: 2007-05-01

• Publication:CBS2 Chicago, IL

State Ban Would Push Back Deadline For Chicago Bars To Go Smoke Free By 1 Year

A vote could come as soon as Tuesday to ban smoking in virtually all indoor public places statewide, and if passed it could force Chicago bars to go smoke free a year earlier than current city law requires.

The bill would ban smoking in all restaurants, bars, workplaces, government buildings and other indoor public facilities, as well as within 15 feet of their entrances and in government vehicles. It passed the state Senate last month and passed out of the House Environmental Health Committee last week.

If passed by the state House and signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the ban would take effect July 1 of this year. That would supersede a law currently in place in Chicago that would give bars and nightclubs until July 1, 2008, to implement a smoking ban.