Senate Judiciary approves local authority to ban smoking

Publication Date: 2005-04-12

• Author:Associated Press
• Publication:MyrtleBeachOnline

Local governments would have the authority to ban smoking in public places under a bill that narrowly cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

Existing state law doesn't let local governments regulate smoking, Sen. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, said.

"You all are repealing the right of private property here," said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston.

Business owners should be able to decide if their customers light up. "If you don't want to come in there because of smoke, then don't come in there," McConnell said...

The bill won a 10-9 vote, a close division that makes its future on the Senate floor far from certain.