Senate panel kills stricter smoking bans
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - An Oklahoma Senate panel has snuffed out a measure that would have allowed cities and towns to enact stricter bans on smoking.
The Senate General Government Committee voted 6-2 on Monday against the proposal that was endorsed by Republican Gov. Mary Fallin in her State of the State address.
The Smoking in Public Places and Indoor Workplaces Act by Ardmore Republican Sen. Frank Simpson would have allowed local governments to adopt stricter smoking ordinances than state law. Currently, municipalities are prohibited from doing so.
Simpson said his idea allowed more local control, but opponents argued it was unfair to businesses that had spent thousands of dollars complying with current state law that allows, for example, smoking in bars or separately ventilated smoking rooms in restaurants.
Copyright 2013, The Associated Press
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