News-Record.com

The state Senate's weakened smoking-ban bill, which passed on second reading today, adds one positive provision:

"It is further the intent of the General Assembly to allow local governments to adopt local laws governing smoking within their jurisdictions that are more restrictive than the State law."

Local governments should have been given that authority a long time ago.

Now, this is a long way from being final. The third and last reading of, or vote on, the Senate bill is scheduled for Monday. Then the Senate bill must be reconciled with the House bill, which is substantially different. We'll have to wait for the smoke to clear, so to speak, before this is over.

Then, maybe, city councils and county commissions can take their own shot at it.