If there’s one place in the country where it doesn’t seem like local smoking bans are popping up much, it’s Florida, and for a very simple reason. Florida State Statute 386.209 “expressly preempts regulation of smoking to the state and supersedes any municipal or county ordinance on the subject”, though it does allow for school districts to restrict smoking on their property.

This line of defense from local smoking bans could soon be going away though, as a pair of bills introduced in the Florida State Legislature seek to repeal that statute and give cities and towns the ability to ban smoking as they see fit.

SB 1554, introduced by Sen. Thad Altman (R-16), and HB 4063, introduced by a trio of legislators, seek a repeal of FSS 386.209, which would go into effect on July 1 if passed.

Both bills currently sit in committee hearings.

Avatar photo

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.