SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored
by state Rep. Karen Yarbrough
(D-Maywood) to ban smoking in most
public places passed the House of
Representatives on Tuesday, World
Asthma Day, and heads to the
governor, who has indicated he will
likely sign it into law.
“This
effort is not about smokers or
smokers’ rights,” Yarbrough said.
“This bill is about nonsmokers and
their right to go out in public and
not have dangerous secondhand smoke
blown in their faces.”
Senate
Bill 500, also known as the Smoke
Free Illinois Act, bans smoking in
any building fully or partially open
to the public and within 15 feet of
entrances to such buildings. The
measure also bans smoking in places
of employment, including areas where
employees are required to enter,
exit or pass through during the
course of employment. Smoking would
also be prohibited in student
dormitories and buildings where
students at public and private
universities congregate.
Yarbrough’s bill is aimed at public
places and contains exemptions for
private residences, private nursing
home rooms and certain hotel and
motel rooms. Retail tobacco stores
that derive at least 80 percent of
annual gross revenue from tobacco
sales would also be exempt from
Yarbrough’s bill. Individuals who
violate the provisions of the bill
would be fined between $100 and
$250. Persons who own a public
space found to be in violation of
the proposed law would be fined not
less than $250 for the first
violation, not less than $500 for a
second violation within one year,
and $2500 for each subsequent
violation within one year of the
first violation.
“Under
this law, smokers will still be
allowed to smoke in their homes, in
their cars and outside,” Yarbrough
said. “What smokers won’t be able
to do anymore is hurt the people who
work in restaurants and bars, those
who work for low pay and often
without benefits.”
Senate
Bill 500, which is co-sponsored by
over 30 House members, now moves to
the governor for his signature. For
more information, contact
Yarbrough’s constituent service
office at 708-615-1747.
The
End
