Texas Lawmaker Presses for Smoking Ban

The proposed legislation would require all businesses to be smoke-free.

March 15, 2013

NORTH TEXAS - The Lone Star State has no statewide smoking ban, and state Rep. Myra Crownover wants to change that, CBSDFW.com reports. The House has approved smoking bans in 2007 and 2011, but none have passed the Senate.

"We feel like in Texas you shouldn??t have to choose between your health and your job. They [employees] don??t need to have to switch jobs just to protect their own health," said Crownover.

Currently, Texas has a hodgepodge of smoking ordinances, with various cities and counties having enacted their own prohibitions. For example, Dallas has a 100% smoke-free policy, while Fort Worth requires separate, ventilated smoking areas. Arlington and Irving have mixed and limited smoking areas.

Crownover said her bill is aimed at helping workers have smoke-free environments, especially in rural parts of the state and unincorporated towns. In January, a state senator introduced a similar measure that would prohibit smoking in all indoor and outdoor workplaces.

Another Texas bill would raise the minimum age for buying tobacco products in the state to 21.

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