Legislation that expands the state's smoking ban to small bars and private clubs previously exempt has landed on Governor Carcieri's desk. He is "most likely" to sign it into law, according to his spokesman.

The House had passed legislation removing such exemptions for some holders of class C and D liquor licenses earlier this month. The Senate gave its approval yesterday, sending the identical bills by Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, D-South Kingstown, and Rep. Jan P. Malik, D-Warren, to Carcieri.

The bills follow a decision by Superior Court Judge Stephen J. Fortunato Jr.

last month that the exemptions were unconstitutional. He said there was no

rational reason for lawmakers to prohibit smoking in some bars while

exempting a group of almost identical bars from the ban.