A pair of Michigan legislators have introduced bills into the legislature that seek to ban smoking on any state-owned beaches.

On Tuesday, HB 4936 was introduced by Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, and was referred to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform, while SB 497 was introduced by Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Wayne County, and has been sent to the Senate Committee on Health Policy and Human Services.

The bills seek to amend existing public health codes to add the term “bathing beach” to the list of places where smoking is prohibited, defining it as “a beach or bathing area that is offered to the public for recreational bathing or swimming.” The language specifies that a bathing beach does not include a public swimming pool.

Supporters say that banning smoking on beaches would both improve public health and cut down on litter. It appears that the use of e-cigarettes or vaping devices would not be subject to the ban as the bills define certain terms.

Neither bill is currently on the calendar for a hearing.

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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.