The city of New Braunfels, Texas will soon have a new smoking ban that applies to all indoor businesses, as the city council approved the ban at its meeting on Monday night.

The new ordinance prohibits smoking in all public places and places of employment within the city limits, though retail tobacco and vape shops did get an exemption. Additionally, the city has imposed a ban on smoking within five feet from the entrances, exits, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas where smoking is prohibited, though the council did approve an amendment that exempts bars and restaurants from that requirement, according to a report by Herald-Zeitung.com.

Violators of the ban will face a first-time fine of $200, which quickly escalates to $500 for a second offense and $2,000 for a third violation.

The city has not yet posted the amended ordinance, but the proposal that was considered during the meeting is still online. According to that document, the ban will go into effect once it has been signed by the council and filed with the city secretary’s office.

New Braunfels is located approximately 33 miles northwest of San Antonio and 50 miles southwest of Austin. It is home to 63,279 residents as of 2013 population estimates.

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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.