A hotbed for tourism could soon restrict smoking on beaches and park areas for good.
The Florida legislature is pushing a pair of bills that would allow counties and cities to further restrict smoking on public beaches and parks. A ban on all types of smoking products, except for cigars and pipe tobacco, within the boundaries of public areas would be an unprecedented step for the Sunshine State.
No specifics on which counties might adopt the legislation, if it became law. Florida sees nearly 132 million out-of-state tourists every year, according to official statistics.
The Environment and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to approve the bill on Monday. The Rules Committee will debate the bill before it goes to the Senate floor.
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There are 67 county park systems and more than 400 municipal park systems in Florida. The state has over 1,300 miles of coastline, the second-most in the US behind Alaska.