Public Smoking Ban Advances in Indiana House

A bill that would prohibit smoking in most public places in Indiana has been approved in a 7-5 vote by the state legislature’s House Public Policy Committee, the Associated Press reported Jan. 20.

The full House will now consider the proposal to ban smoking in restaurants, bars and most other public places, but not casinos or horse tracks.

A similar bill was approved last year by the House but died in the state Senate. Backers say the current measure has a better chance of passage because it will not be opposed by casino owners.

Still, some lawmakers said that such bans should be left to local governments, not mandated statewide, and tavern owners still oppose the bill.