Efforts across the country to ban smoking around children are gaining praise from one State Senator. Arkansas and Louisiana already ban smoking in cars carrying young children and other states prevent foster parents from smoking around children in their care. State Senator Fred Risser (D-Madison) thinks those states are on the right track. In fact, Risser believe those states are far ahead of Wisconsin. He thinks the state needs to catch up by removing smoking from the workplace.
Risser says he plans to push for a statewide workplace smoking ban during the next legislative session, a proposal he has brought up in past sessions with little success. The proposal would ban smoking in bars, restaurants, and other places of employment.
If the state doesn't act, Risser says local governments will take up the issue on their own. He says many of those ordinances could exceed what state lawmakers may try to do.
WHBY's Rick Schuh contributed to this report