A piece of legislation has been introduced to the Virginia State Senate that would give counties, cities and towns within the state the power to implement outdoor smoking bans.

SB 938, introduced by State Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoake), would require those entities to install signage as part of any ban, and would limit fines for smokers to $25 per violation after a warning has been issued. Those fines would then be directed to the Virginia Health Care Fund.

Localities would still be required to put any proposed ban through its own due process, including public hearings. Bans could apply to any public park, recreational facility or playground, as well as hiking, biking, or horseback riding trails.

The bill has been referred to the Virginia Senate Committee on Local Government.

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.