Virginia lawmakers recently passed a weak law on public smoking, but Gov. Timothy M. Kaine says he still wants a comprehensive indoor smoking ban to protect workers at bars and restaurants.

The Associated Press reported March 29 that the Virginia General Assembly passed a bill to require restaurants to post signs outside their doors if they allow smoking but also eliminated a requirement that restaurants provide separate sections for smokers. Kaine criticized the bill as he proposed a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants.

Customers can choose not to eat at a restaurant that allows smoking, he said, but, "For a lot of employees, it's not necessarily easy for them to pick up and get another job.

But Laurie Peterson Aldrich, president of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association, replied, "It's very easy, especially in the restaurant business, to be sort of a transient employee.  It's the nature of the beast, really." The group opposes a statewide ban, saying allowing smoking should be "the choice of the business owner," said Aldrich.