Regional Briefs: Bill approved banning smoking

Publication Date: 2007-08-01

• Publication:The Winston-Salem Journal

The N.C. General Assembly gave final approval yesterday to a bill that will ban smoking in all of the state's nursing homes, adult-care homes and other centers that provide long-term care.

The bill was sponsored by state Rep. Julia Howard, R-Davie, after a fire in March in a Mocksville adult-care home killed one person and injured more than 20 others. The fire was caused by a resident smoking in her room.

The N.C. Senate and House of Representatives had each previously approved slightly differing versions of the bill, and yesterday, both chambers agreed to a new version that reconciled the differences.