Smoking in restaurants will be permitted for at least another year, as a smoking ban amendment proposed by Gov. Tim Kaine was killed in the General Assembly.
The ban, which would have made smoking in any restaurant in the state illegal, had been tacked on to a bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Delegate Morgan Griffith, R-Salem. Kaine’s amendment was defeated 40-to-59 in the House during the General Assembly’s veto session.
The original bill required that restaurant owners post a sign at their door stating whether smoking is allowed in their establishment, while doing away with the requirement for separate smoking and non-smoking sections.
Kaine’s amendment was seen as too vague by the Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association, an organization that represents the state’s hotel and restaurant industries.
“We oppose the governor’s amendment,” said Julia Hammond, government relations manager for the VHTA. “Ideally we think the market should decide. The definition of restaurant is too broad.”
Hammond said the ban would have made smoking illegal anywhere that food was served, and the law should have been more specific.
However, not everyone in the restaurant business is opposed to a smoking ban. Sean McLean, owner of the popular Richmond establishment Star-lite Dining and Lounge, said a smoking ban wouldn’t hurt his business if all restaurants had to do it.
“I’d like to see it happen,” said McLean, who is a smoker but has recently been trying to quit. “(Smoking) is not good for the interior. It’s not good for those who don’t smoke.”
“(The proposed ban) will be back,” he said. “They’ll keep voting on it till it passes.”