The House Business & Industry Committee has passed legislation by state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Denton, which will protect the employee health by eliminating smoking in indoor public and private workplaces, including restaurants and most bars in Texas.

House Bill 9 will protect employees and other individuals from secondhand smoke, which kills 53,000 non-smoking Americans yearly and is the third leading cause of preventable death, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The committee passed a revised version of the bill – Committee Substitute House Bill 9 (CSHB 9) – which would exempt tobacco shops and cigar bars in existence by May 15 and where gross sales are at least 25 percent tobacco.

"I’d like to thank the House Committee on Business & Industry for passing this workplace safety legislation and for their patience listening to more than six hours of testimony on the bill," Crownover said. "Although the bill as passed has some exemptions, I am confident that significantly reducing exposure to deadly secondhand smoke is a tremendous step toward improving safety conditions for Texas workers."

National studies have found that smoke-free policies cover just 76 percent of white-collar workers, 52 percent of blue-collar workers and 43 percent of food service workers.

If HB 9 is signed into law, Texas would join 17 other states with comprehensive smoke-free ordinances.

Crownover has represented District 64 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2000. House District 64 includes portions of Denton County: Denton, Lake Dallas, Corinth, Shady Shores, Hickory Creek, Lakewood Village, Little Elm, Oak Point & The Colony north of 121.