Bill to Give Local Governments Control of Smoking Issues Advances

May 1, 2007

Nashville, Tenn. – Senate Bill 186, which allows local governments the opportunity to restrict smoking in restaurants, cleared the Senate State and Local Government Committee today. 

“For the last four years I’ve been working on a bill that will provide citizens with the opportunity to eat in a safe, healthy and smoke-free environment,” stated Sen. Paul Stanley (R-Germantown), the bill’s sponsor.  “I believe this bill will benefit the health of our citizens while maintaining local control.”

Current law does not allow local governments to restrict smoking in any fashion.  Several others bills that restrict smoking will likely be heard in the next several weeks.

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