Kaine signs restaurant-bar smoking ban legislation
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine today formally signed into law legislation that will ban smoking in nearly all public restaurants in Virginia.
Seated in a Virginia Beach restaurant that has already made the switch to smoke-free dining, Kaine signed Senate Bill 1105 and its companion legislation, House Bill 1703. The law takes effect on Dec. 1, 2009.
The new law exempts private clubs from the ban, in addition to those restaurants that establish physically separate and independently ventilated rooms for smokers.
“This reasonable and necessary public health measure has been one of my priorities for several years,“ Kaine said during a signing cermony at Croc’s 19th Street Bistro, flanked by the bills’ sponsors, Sen. Ralph S. Northam, D-Norfolk and Del. John A. Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake.
“I am extremely proud to have been a part of the coalition that made this day a reality, and I am thrilled to place my signature on this monumental step forward for public health in Virginia.“
In 2006, Kaine issued an executive order banning smoking in all state buildings.
The passage of the bill this year by the General Assembly was a highlight for the administration, which had been frustrated on other policy fronts, including efforts to further montior firearms sales at gun shows, broaden the rules on who can vote by absentee ballot and advance green energy and conservation measures.
It was also the result of rare bipartisan compromise between the Democratic administration and leadership of the Republican-controlled House of Delegates, which has opposed Kaine on a number of public policy initiatives in the preceding three years of his four-year term in office.
This year, Republicans and Democrats alike would not support Kaine’s bid to close the state’s budget deficit in Medicaid by doubling the tax on packs of cigarettes. But citing mounting evidence of the risk to public health, lawmakers went along with the restaurant smoking ban, approving the measure by comfortbale majorities in the House and Senate.
Statistics compiled by the Virginia Department of Health show that second-hand smoke is responsible for an estimated 1,700 deaths per year.
The new legislation protects workers by stating that restaurant owners cannot compel employees to work in a smoking area. Proprietors must also provide at least one smoke-free entrance to their establishments.
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Rich Guy - Your first post to me did indeed say “Jerry, can you honestly say that smoking has more negatives than alcohol? I am positive you can’t.“
That statement does indeed put words in my mouth, however much you deny that.
I find your commentary to me and to others as an ongoing intent to shove your personal biases to just about everything down all of our throats.
If you consider my response as gutter, then that’s fine with me. I find your mentioning obesity in your post as the number one cost to this nation on health care as a bias against obese people and also insulting, because it implies anyone who is obese does it on purpose. I’m sure you’ll deny that was your intention as well.
I have no doubt you’ll throw more words of your true wisdom back at me, but I believe after this post I will stop playing your game.
My fellow American, Fedup,
I enjoyed the way you skipped over dialogue, debate and civility and went straight for insult and anger. I see that as you showing your personal bias and desire over anything. Last I checked the U.S. was a country that was supposed to be better than that. You know the old saying involving the idea that to truely believe in free speech you must allow someone to scream the thing you hold most contemptable at the top of his lungs? Sometimes you must allow things to happen that you yourelf view as disgusting. This country was founded on freedom and I dont see this to be any different. I would try to discuss this with you further but, seeing how you ignored everything I said, I dont really see the point. however, should you care to address my points and views I would welcome the chance for you to show me the error of my way. Just remember, you cant claim the high road from the gutter.
Yes, my last post was directed to you jerry78linda,
If you felt that I was attempting to put words to your post that you did not intend I assure you that wasn’t my intention. My post and the vices that were raised by me were simply in rebuttal to your disbelief that smoking was banned due to its unpopular status. To simplify what I was trying to show: Yes, smoking has health issues/ questions. However, many other things are at least equally as dangerous but allowed to continue indoors within a nice climate controlled arena. I find it unfair and will even go as far as to say completely biased against smokers to single them out. Which would back my original point of saying it was only allowed to pass because of its unpopular status. The statement was made that this law was passed to protect the health and well being of Virginians. If that is true they must be willing to continue down that path of virtue and ban all things unhealthy in a similar fashion.
Can’t wait for him to ban perfume in public places!
Well Rich Guy, I looked at all the other postings to see if there were another Jerry out there, didn’t see one so I’m assuming your last comment was directed at me. Exactly where in my comments did you see me make any argument about more or less negatives about alcohol and all the other items you vented about. You’re remarking on points I didn’t even raise.
Sticking to the article about Tim Kaine signing a smoking ban, I am in great favor of it and consider it a health issue. Smoking is a choice not a right.
As for alcohol, it’s a legal substance and there are more laws and regulations out there and pure jail time if you are lucky enough to get pulled over while driving intoxicated before you kill someone. If they can come up with a law to completely keep drunks off the road without fail, then I would back that law as well.
As for obesity, there ARE those few people who are obese because of health issues and not how much they eat. The rest of the obesity is caused by that person who can’t take control of their diet. Control is the key. But just where could you come up with any law to make a person stop overeating? Keep on blaming McDonalds?
Until then, I’m more than happy to be able to enter a restaurant/bar and enjoy what I am paying for without a cloud of smoke surrounding me.
Jerry, can you honestly say that smoking has more negatives than alcohol? I am positive you can’t. The idea that you are banning smoking in establishments due to health risks to others means you must also ban alcohol consumption due to health risks if you intend to have that arguement hold water. Smokers assault your noses, clothes and depending who you believe, others health. (I am no medical researcher so I honestly dont intend to weigh in on that as I could be persuaded to believe both sides of the “its dangerous/ no its not” arguement.) Alcohol isnt something you see when you are driving home after work and a drunk plows into your car. I would rather have a chance to see the smoke and get away than get blindsided by intoxication on the road. I think in the grand scheme of things smoking is not good for public health. I also think that many other legal consumptions are just as (I honestly believe MORE) dangerous. I think Obesity and overeating are the #1 most dangerous health issue out there. You not only endanger yourself but usually you pass it on to your children (be ith through genetics or learned lifestyle.) Obesity costs more on our health care than smoking hands down. I just think honestly, if we are going to start putting the government deeper and deeper into our daily lives we need to start attacking EVERY non-healthy thing with the same vigor. No more public drinking, no more public smoking, no more public eating and the list should go on for miles after that. If we dont want it to go that way we need to stop picking on the current taboo of the day and picking off the weak one at a time.
Rich Guy, smoking banned because it’s unpopular and no other reason? Let’s see, smoking has been connected to lung cancer, emphysema, tar & nicotine gathers in the pores of your face making you age quicker, causes (in most women) that gravelly voice as they get older, so I guess that would make it unpopular. Yes, you’re right, health has nothing to do with it.
Sorry Rich Guy—you’re right.
Virginia by biting the hand that has always fed it may indeed have joined the ranks of the so called “progrssive” states!
Like Vermont and Mass. for instance, progressing steadily into bankruptcy.
Or perhaps the most progressive of all California. With citizens fleeing the state in droves because everything is taxed and banned to the max.
In a very progressive way of course…
Hey Magic, why would you assume that was pointed at you? It was a collective plural intention. Im pretty sure you can’t tell which side of the fence I am on about this ban from what I wrote. I think (yes, my oppinion) people need to be less sensitive on this board and assume less is being said with negative intent. Couldn’t Richmond just once have a day where people can voice their thoughts without others getting angry or screaming racism or bigotry? Shouldnt we, as a city, be advanced enough to have open dialogue to try to understand one another and reach a common ground? BTW Magic, this is in no way an indictment of you or your post but my reflections on the boards and conversations in general.
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