The City Council of Conway, South Carolina will meet tonight and hold the first vote on a proposed ordinance that would outlaw smoking in private business.
If the law is approved, violated will be fined $100 and the business owners who allow smoking would face fines as well.
According to City Councilwoman Barbara Blain-Olds ““I’ve heard nothing but support for it,now that doesn’t mean that I believe everybody is in favor of such a broad smoking ban, but certainly the majority of the people are and I think its time has come.”
In order for the proposal to become a law, the City Council must vote on it twice. If passed, Conway would join over 50 South Carolina communities that have anti-smoking policies.
Thankfully this one doesn’t look like a slam dunk as City Councilman Tom Anderson has had his constituents relay a different message then Blain-Olds. That message, “Don’t mess with my rights.”
The council meets at 5:30 p.m. inside City Hall at 229 Main St.
Conway, SC is home to 19,000 residents over 13.4 square miles and was founded in 1734.
Updated January 6th – The city leaders met and voted in favor of a smoking ban with a 4-2 vote. This is the first of two votes necessary to pass the law. There was no word on when the next vote would be held.
Updated January 20th – Tonight a second vote will be held on the proposal, if passed the law will go into effect in 60 days.
Updated January 21st – The City Council was upset with the way the ordinance written and chose to have it reworded before voting on it. Some members suggested that there needed to be added language that would ban smoking on city streets and sidewalks. There is no word on when a new vote will happen.
