TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Local governments could ban tobacco smoking at beaches and parks they own and Florida would prohibit smoking in state parks under a bill approved by a Senate committee on...

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — City leaders in northwest Louisiana will consider banning smoking in bars.

KTBS-TV reports the Shreveport City Council is scheduled to consider extending the city's...

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Officials in Lincoln and Lancaster County are taking steps toward adding vaping to the local ban in indoor smoking, prompting a vow from a woman who owns three Lincoln vape...

MARION, Ill. (AP) — A smoking ban at Department of Veterans Affairs' health care facilities will take effect later this year.

The smoke-free policy that begins Oct. 1 applies to patients,...

CARMEL, Ind. (AP) — An Indianapolis suburb is adding electronic cigarettes to the city's ban on smoking in most public places.

The Carmel City Council voted unanimously in favor of the...

ATLANTA (AP) — The mayor of Atlanta has signed legislation banning smoking and vaping in enclosed areas such as bars, restaurants and the smoking rooms in one of the world's busiest...

STOCKHOLM (AP) — An outdoor smoking ban in Sweden in certain public places, including playgrounds and train station platforms, has taken effect.

SEA GIRT, N.J. (AP) — Smoke 'em if you've got 'em — but not on the beach in New Jersey this summer.

Smoking and vaping will be banned on nearly every public beach in the state this summer...

ELK RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A northern Michigan village has decided to ban smoking at its parks, beaches and trails following complaints about discarded cigarette butts.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Boise officials are looking to expand the city's smoking ban to include e-cigarettes.

The city council voted unanimously Tuesday to advance a measure that would amend the...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vaping and cannabis will now fall under the existing smoking bans at Los Angeles County beaches, parks, government buildings and other locations.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An effort to repeal Arkansas' indoor smoking ban at private businesses has failed before a House panel.

The House Public Health Committee on Thursday without debate...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Senate passed a repeal of the state's medical marijuana smoking ban Thursday rather than face the prospects of seeing patients get access to smokable pot with...

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — One city in Georgia is starting 2019 by banning smoking in most bars and retails spaces.

A smoke-free ordinance is taking effect Tuesday in Augusta, and the Augusta Chronicle reports it will affect nearly 10,000 businesses.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia says recovering addicts will have to stub out their cigarettes before checking into a city-funded inpatient drug treatment program starting next week.

Philly.com reported Friday that the smoking ban covers staff and patients at 80 programs receiving city funding and goes into effect Tuesday.

SHEFFIELD, Ala. (AP) — The mayor of a north Alabama city is setting up a January meeting with restaurant owners who say an anti-smoking ordinance has hurt their business.

Sheffield Mayor Ian Sanford was on the losing end of the 4-2 vote for the ordinance, which took effect in October.

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Sweden is banning outdoor smoking in certain public places, including playgrounds and train station platforms.

In a 142-120 vote Wednesday, the Riksdagen extended the smoking ban as of July 1, 2019. Smoking in outdoor restaurants and entrances to booths for smokers will also be banned.

In Sweden, smoking is currently allowed in designated smoking areas in most workplaces and public places.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Providence officials are considering repealing an ordinance that bans smoking in parts of the city's downtown area.

WPRI-TV reports Mayor Jorge Elorza and Democratic City Councilman Sam Zurier both support reversing the ban. Zurier says he was told the ban would be temporary.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Augusta is joining other Georgia cities that ban smoking in bars and most other public, indoor spaces.

The Augusta Chronicle reports Mayor Hardie Davis signed the city's new smoke-free ordinance at a ceremony Thursday. The law takes effect Jan. 1.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A new law signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo bans smoking in home-based day care centers.

The law signed Monday requires facilities licensed or registered for child care services to comply with the smoking ban even when children are not present. Operators and residents of home-based day care centers had previously been permitted to smoke outside of their hours of operation.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — It's now illegal to smoke — anything — in public parks in the city of Reno.

An ordinance approved by the Reno City Council in July went into effect Friday prohibiting smoking and tobacco use of any kind in city parks, including the use of electronic of vaporized smoking devices.

It includes all trails and extends to within 100 feet of sports fields and recreational facilities, except in designated areas.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — One Tennessee city says it won't enforce the new national ban on smoking in public housing.

Public housing residents in Nashville recently signed leases that prohibited smoking. But Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency spokeswoman Jamie Berry tells WPLN-FM the housing authority will tack on a grandfathering addendum that lets current tenants smoke.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — An anti-smoking group in Vermont is urging Montpelier leaders to make the city's downtown area smoke-free.

WCAX-TV reports the Central Vermont New Directions Coalition created will present a petition to the Montpelier City Council later this month. The group is pushing for a smoke-free zone that's about half a mile long.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The Latest on the New Jersey Legislature's consideration of a ban on most smoking on public beaches (all times local):

2:45 p.m.

A bill that would ban most smoking on New Jersey's public beaches is advancing through the state Legislature.

LYNDONVILLE, Vt. (AP) — Officials in the Vermont village of Lyndonville have approved a smoking ban in parks.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — It soon may be illegal to smoke within city parks in Charleston.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports the city council is expected to vote Tuesday on whether to ban all smoking in the city parks. That would include e-cigarettes.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A bill that would have barred adults in Tennessee from smoking in a vehicle with children appears dead for the year after lawmakers voiced concerns that it gave the government too much power over citizen freedoms.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Ten years after the indoor smoking ban was enacted in Illinois, it has become part of everyday life.

The statewide ban went into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported. It was criticized by some local bar owners and pushed by public health advocates.

HAMPTON, N.H. (AP) — Officials in a New Hampshire town say it will be too difficult to enforce a resident-supported advisory petition that bans smoking at two beaches.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — The use of electronic cigarettes in most public places will be banned in Lafayette under an ordinance approved by City Council members.

The council voted unanimously Monday night in favor of changing its smoking ban ordinance to include vaping. It won't include bars where everyone is over 21 and that decide to permit smoking.

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Officials in Lafayette are looking to add electronic cigarettes to the city's ban on smoking inside most businesses.

The Lafayette City Council has given initial approval to an ordinance that would prohibit vaping into any restaurant or store which admits those younger than 21. It wouldn't include tobacco shops or bars that permit smoking.

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A proposal to ban smoking in bars and restaurants across Alaska gained wide support in the Alaska Legislature, but the bill's fate will again be decided by a single lawmaker.

GARY, Ind. (AP) — The CEO of Gary's two casinos says a proposed smoking ban would cost the northwestern Indiana city revenue by driving gamblers to other casinos.

Supporters of the proposal to ban smoking in all public places and workplaces told the city council on Tuesday that workers at Gary's two Majestic Star casinos deserve smoke-free air.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Clear Lake are considering banning smoking at the city's parks and beaches.

Many Clear Lake residents support the ban because of health issues related to secondhand smoke and the litter smokers leave behind, the Globe Gazette reported .

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Officials in the New Hampshire city of Manchester have approved a temporary ban on smoking in public parks.

The Board of Aldermen approved the 6-month ban Tuesday. The parks affected include Victory, Veteran's, Pulaski, Bronstein and Stanton Plaza.

Law enforcement officials say they support the ban because it could help curtail those smoking synthetic marijuana. Opponents of the measure say it infringes on people's rights to smoke freely.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Officials in the New Hampshire city of Manchester are considering a smoking ban for public parks.

WMUR-TV reports (http://bit.ly/2uMe3MX ) the proposal, which was announced last month, is gaining supporters among city leaders. Supporters say the proposed ban targets improving both public safety and public health.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — City officials in upstate New York have passed a law limiting smoking in public parks.

The Buffalo Common Council voted Tuesday to pass the smoking ban in city parks. Under the measure, traditional tobacco products and electronic cigarettes will be prohibited. Officials are expected to make designated areas for smoking in some parks.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's ban on smoking in elementary and secondary school buildings has been expanded to include a campus' playgrounds, school buses and other school property.

Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed the expansion legislation by Republican Rep. Frank Hoffmann of West Monroe, a bill that won final passage in the recently-ended legislative session. The changes took effect immediately.

The rewritten law enacts a smoking ban on any place deemed "school property."

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Providence City Council has voted to override the mayor's veto of an ordinance that will prohibit smoking in parts of the city's downtown.

Supporters have said the ban is aimed at protecting the public from secondhand smoke.

Mayor Jorge Elorza (HOR'-hay ay-LOR'-sah) vetoed the bill earlier this month. In a letter to the council, Elorza said the true target of the ban is the homeless community. He said the ordinance would criminalize poverty and be ineffective.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The Flagstaff City Council took a step toward banning the smoking of cigarettes and other forms of tobacco in public parks and cemeteries.

The Daily Sun reports (http://bit.ly/2rsGRtW ) the council voted 6-1 Tuesday to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would revise the city's "Smokefree air" policy to include city park property.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Providence's City Council has passed a smoking ban but failed to deliver enough votes to protect against a looming mayoral veto.

The council passed the proposal 8-5 Wednesday. The measure would ban tobacco products near Kennedy Plaza and Burnside Park.

However, Mayor Jorge Elorza's office says the mayor will veto the ban. Ten councilors are needed to override a veto.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Lawmakers in New York are debating whether to add electronic cigarettes to the state's ban on smoking in public areas like workplaces, bars and restaurants.

The state Assembly already has endorsed the idea.

Supporters say it makes sense to add e-cigarettes to the indoor smoking ban to protect non-smokers from second-hand exposure to the chemicals in the devices. They also say it would send a message discouraging teens from taking up the habit.

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Smoking and vaping has been banned in all outdoor areas in the seaside Southern California resort town of Laguna Beach.

The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to expand its ban on smoking that already covered beaches and parks.

That means the only place people will be allowed to smoke in town will be inside their homes and cars.