HOORAY!!!!!
Maybe I'll actually be able to go OUT again. I'd really like that.
Md. Senate Committee OKs Smoking Ban:
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A panel of Maryland senators voted Monday to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, a vote seen as a critical first step for passage of a statewide smoking ban this year.
The 6-5 vote by the Senate Finance Committee means the full Senate will vote in coming days on whether to approve the ban, long advocated by health activists but opposed by some restaurant owners. A House committee is considering a similar smoking ban, with a vote expected in that committee by midweek.
If approved, Maryland's ban would take effect in January and ban smoking in all indoor public areas, including bars. Delaware and Washington D.C. already require smoke-free bars and restaurants.