McALLEN, Texas - For the sixth time, Texas lawmakers crushed a proposal that would ban smoking in nearly all indoor public places, the Brownsville Herald reports. Both legislative houses did not vote on the measure when their special session ended last week.

State Rep. Myra Crownover sponsored the bill to slash state Medicaid costs related to secondhand smoke (asthma, coronary heart disease, low birth weight, etc.). Her office estimated that a statewide smoking ban would save Texas $13 million in Medicaid and the state employee healthcare system during fiscal year 2012-13.

Bar owners are split on whether a smoking ban would hurt or help business. For Gilbert Garcia, general manager at Smokin?? Aces, a ban would move smoking to an outdoor patio. "It wouldn??t affect us that much. (We would) probably get in more people," he said, adding that many customers enjoy the entertainment at his bar.

Crownover??s bill would have prohibited smoking in restaurants and bars, but allowed smoking in outdoor areas. Other public places the ban would have affected include government offices and shopping malls.

For six years, Crownover has tried to get a smoking ban passed. "It??s an education issue where at first people don??t see the necessity, but I see great movement in support of the bill because they realize how well it works, that it really doesn??t infringe on anybody??s rights," she said.