The Waxahachie City Council has passed a new smoking ban that will prohibit lighting up in work places and public places, with the five member council voting in favor of it 4-1 on Monday night. Mayor Pro Tem Mark Singleton was the one person to vote against the ordinance, saying that he didn’t feel comfortable forcing such a decision on businesses, according to a report on WaxahachieTX.com. The city has not posted the text of the ban, and a request for a copy has not yet been answered, however the report says that the ordinance will prohibit smoking inside of “most businesses, public buildings, city- owned facilities, nursing homes, within 25 feet of most public gathering areas, places of employment to include common areas such as break rooms and elevators.” In addition, the minimum age to purchase electronic cigarettes has been set at 18. Some 3,009 signatures were gathered in support of the ban, which had also gained the support of local churches and health organizations. The goal was to get the council to enact an ordinance that would result a comprehensive smoke free ordinance for the city of just over 31,000 residents. Waxahachie is located approximately 30 miles south of Dallas.
↧