Ban on Smoking in L.A. County Buildings OKd

A filtered version of the City of Los Angeles’ recently enacted anti-smoking ordinance was tentatively adopted Tuesday by county supervisors for all county-owned buildings.

On a unanimous vote, the supervisors approved language aimed at protecting the rights of nonsmoking county employees from the second-hand smoke of co-workers.

Under the ordinance, which would take effect 90 days after its expected final approval next week, smoking would be banned from elevators, employee restrooms, kitchens, computer and storage rooms and county vehicles, unless there are no passengers or all riders approve of smoking.

No-smoking areas would be established in county offices, lounges and cafeterias.

But unlike the stronger city ordinance that took effect April 15, the county’s makes no attempt to regulate smoking in private businesses.

The city ordinance requires firms with five or more employees to provide, to the maximum extent possible, a smoke-free area for those who do not light up.

The county ordinance would merely encourage private firms in the county’s unincorporated areas to voluntarily adopt guidelines to protect nonsmokers’ rights.

Also in contrast to the city law, which provides for the city attorney and Police Department to enforce its provisions, the county plan says that each county department is responsible for enforcement.

Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, who has been pushing for a no-smoking ordinance for more than a year, praised the final version as a first step. He called for a review of the law in six months.