Tobacco companies and restaurant owners are organizing opposition to a bill in the Texas legislature that would ban smoking in most indoor public spaces in the state, the Associated Press reported Feb. 1.

The bill calls for fines of up to $500 for smoking indoors or within 15 feet of the entrance of government buildings, private workplaces, bars, restaurants, and other locations where the ban would apply. "We've got a lot of national resources that are focusing on this," said bill sponsor Sen. Rodney Ellis. "Texas is a trendsetter state on so many issues."

Houston, Austin, and El Paso are among the Texas cities with indoor smoking bans already in place. Backers of the statewide measure include the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association and Texas PTA.

Opponents include lobbyists for Philip Morris USA and the Texas Restaurant Association. "Total bans on indoor smoking fail to respect the comfort and choices of both smoking and nonsmoking adults," said a Philip Morris spokesperson, who said that nonsmokers could be protected by ventilation systems.