Statewide Texas Smoking Ban Bill Dead
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Statewide Texas Smoking Ban Bill Dead
A bill that would have banned smoking statewide in most indoor public places is dead for the current session of the Texas Legislature.
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AUSTIN (May 19, 2009)--The Senate author of a proposed statewide ban on smoking in most indoor public places, including bars and restaurants, says he has given up on the proposal for this session.

Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, told The Associated Press Tuesday he doesn't have a votes to get it passed before the end of the legislative session on June 1.

Ellis scheduled a news conference for later in the day.

Supporters of the measure, including the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the American Cancer Society and multiple medical groups, said a ban is needed to protect public health, but the ban ran into strong opposition from civil libertarians and business owners.

Latest Comments

Posted by: RoxAnne on Jun 2, 2009 at 03:55 PM

I want to see a statewide smoking ban.
Posted by: John E. Location: Salado, TX on May 20, 2009 at 10:32 AM

I guess non-smoking Texas will continue to choke on second-hand smoke simply because our elected officials can't find their rears with both hands...
Posted by: Liz Location: Killeen on May 19, 2009 at 04:49 PM

I had kept my hopes up high for this ban. Second hand smoke debilitates me. Any cigarette smoke sets off severe asthma attacks to the point that I do not use public places where people are standing outside smoking and have not frequented a restaurant in many months except for Outback, which has curbside delivery. I am very disappointed. But then people like me are outcasts, we're the odd ones, because we want to live without inhalers.
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