State House passes smoking ban for state buildings

By TRENT SEIBERT
Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, 05/27/06 in The Tennessean

The state House has approved a bill that for the first time would ban smoking throughout the entire state Capitol complex and the state prison system - pretty much the last state-owned indoor spaces where it's still OK to light up.

The bill, which was passed by the state Senate earlier this week, passed by an 80-5 vote in the House today. The bill now needs the Senate's approval on one small change for it to head to the governor for his signature into law.

Most state government buildings banned smoking years ago, but the state Capitol complex - including the Capitol and the interconnected offices at Legislative Plaza and the War Memorial Building - were under the legislature's purview, and they continued to allow smoking for some time.

Smoking was banned a few years ago in the Capitol itself and throughout most of Legislative Plaza , but some common areas in the Plaza have remained smoking-allowed to this day. The bill passed by the House and Senate would put a stop to that.

The bill would also give the state prison system a year to ban smoking, during which time state Correction Commissioner George Little said he will take steps to help educate inmates about the ban and try to help them quit smoking.

An amendment the House put on the bill this morning allows hotels at state parks to continue to allow smoking in some of their rooms. Because of that change, the bill will need the Senate's approval once more before it can be sent to Gov. Phil Bredesen.

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