RALEIGH, N.C. -- Smoking would be banned in prison as a means of controlling prisoner health care costs in a bill that's cleared a House judiciary committee.

Superintendents in 52 of the state's prisons already prohibit indoor smoking by prisoners and staff. The measure would require the remaining 24 prisons to prohibit smoking beginning Jan. 1.

Smoking still would be allowed in prison yards, although the bill also orders the Department of Correction to ban smoking completely in at least one or more prisons as a pilot. The agency would provide optional smoking cessation programs.

The Division of Prisons was expected to spend $145 million for inmate health for the fiscal year that ended June 30. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Charlie Albertson of Duplin County, said 25 percent of the prisoner population has some kind of chronic illness.

Nearly 40 states have prison smoking restrictions. California's ban on tobacco products in prison began July 1.