New Jersey Legislature Approves Parks and Beaches Smoking Ban

For the second time in two years, the New Jersey legislature has approved a smoking ban for state parks and the majority of state beaches, and once again it heads to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk with a less than optimistic outlook on whether he will sign it into law.

This week, the state Assembly passed the bill passed by a vote of 63-7-4 while the Senate passed an amended version by a vote of 24-6. That version went back to the Assembly where it received a 52-6-3 vote. Now, it heads to Christie’s desk with hopes that he won’t veto it like he did in 2014.

In a letter to the General Assembly following the veto in 2014, Christie said that “while I appreciate the sponsors’ concerns regarding the health risks posed by smoking and second-hand smoke, I am not persuaded that a presecriptive, one-size-fits-all State ban on smoking at public parks and beaches is advisable at this time.” He went on to cite how local officials have already enacted their own bans, and as such “I do not believe that the State should substitute its judgment for that of our local elected officials or upset the careful balancing of interests that informs the decision-making process at the local level.”

Christie has not indicated what he will do with this year’s version, though during a segment with WXKW-FM on Wednesday, the governor maintained his stance on preferring to leave smoking ban decisions up to local governments. He noted that he hasn’t made up his mind and will wait to make a final decision until receiving the bill.

This year’s ban would allow local municipalities to create smoking areas on their beaches, up to 15% of the total area, but it would not apply to parking lots adjacent to public parks or beaches. Violators would be subject to fines not less than $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense and $1,000 for each subsequent offense.

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 Major League Baseball, 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.