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Va. Senate Committee Approves Smoking Ban

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by The Associated Press

Thursday, January 29, 2009

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A Senate committee has passed legislation that would ban smoking in restaurants and most public buildings.

If those bills hit a snag, the Senate Education and Health Committee also passed bills to allow localities to enact their own smoking bans. All the bills passed by 11-3 votes Thursday.

Gov. Tim Kaine has advocated for a ban on smoking in all restaurants, saying that the government must protect residents from unhealthy secondhand smoke. Opponents say the government has no right to make decisions for private businesses and that a smoking ban could further damage businesses already crippled from a crumbling economy.

Similar bills have passed the Senate before but were killed in subcommittee in the Republican-controlled House.

Tagged: smoking ban, State news

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