An Illinois statewide indoor-smoking ban has been signed into law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Daily Herald reported July 23.

The law will make Illinois the 22nd state to ban smoking in most indoor spaces; the state legislation will override 46 local antismoking ordinances already on the books in Illinois. The measure sets fines for noncompliance for both smokers and property owners, and bans smoking within 15 feet of building entrances as well as indoors.

"Illinois has passed the most restrictive law of any state in the United States and I am very proud of that," said bill sponsor Sen. Terry Link (D-Waukegan). "We were told by political spin doctors that we shouldn't do this because politically this was probably not the smartest thing to do ...You only go around once and you've got to do the right thing. This was the right thing for life and this was the right thing for people."

Cosponsor Sen. Dan Cronin (R-Elmhurst) added: "The moment the secondhand smoke evidence was in, the debate was over." Blagojevich was praised by smoking-prevention groups for his early support of the bill, which they said eased passage in the legislature.