Statewide smoking ban proposed in Missouri

Publication Date: 2010-02-02

• Author:Kelsey Volkmann
• Publication:Bizjournals.com

Smoking would be banned in restaurants, bars, casinos and malls statewide under a bill Missouri lawmakers introduced Monday.

Exceptions would include private residences, tobacco retail outlets, outdoor areas and up to 20 percent of hotel and motel rooms.

The legislation's sponsor, Rep. Walt Bivins, R-St. Louis, said Missouri is surrounded on three sides by states that ban smoking: Illinois, Arkansas and Iowa. Kansas lawmakers are also considering it.

Nationwide, more than half of the states have smoking bans.