A bill seeking to ban smoking on the beaches of Florida has been introduced into the state Senate by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Saratota.

The bill, S.B. 218, was filed on Wednesday as the state’s legislature gets ready to convene for its 2019 session, and seeks to fine violators either $25 or with 10 hours of community service. Law enforcement officers would be tasked with issuing citations should someone break the proposed law.

The law is being introduced as per Florida state law, only the state can ban smoking at beaches. In 2017, a Sarasota County smoking ban for beaches was deemed to be unconstitutional due to the 2003 state laws regarding smoking in restaurants, workplaces and other indoor areas. In that law, it was written that only the state can make laws regarding smoking.

Should the bill be approved, it would go into effect on July 1. It has not yet been assigned to a committee for an initial hearing.

Featured image by Pat Williams from Commerce Twp, MI, USA [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

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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.