Pasadena : Council OKs Smoking Ban

The City Council on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for a sweeping anti-smoking ordinance, prohibiting smoking in all enclosed workplaces. The new ordinance, however, will not apply to restaurant patrons.

The council voted unanimously to direct City Atty. Victor Kaleta to draw up an amendment to the Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, setting a deadline of July 1 for its provisions to take effect. The council is expected to enact the measure early next month.

Under current law, employers must designate a nonsmoking area in employee lunchrooms and lounges, but smoking in work locations is permitted.

Councilman Jess Hughston, who will retire from the council next month after 12 years, has been pushing for no-smoking legislation for several years. He was unsuccessful in getting a ban on smoking in restaurants last year, but he said Tuesday that he will come back in June as a private citizen to press for reconsideration of that measure.