Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has signed into law a bill that bans smoking in bars, restaurants and workplaces throughout Nebraska. It takes effect in June, 2009.

In a statement issued Tuesday morning the governor is quoted as saying, "After careful consideration, I signed LB 395 into law today. In weighing the merits of this bill, I took into account the valid concerns about local control and the rights of business owners, as well as the health concerns and the rights of the public to clean indoor air. The public health concern is a critical one and that is why I signed LB 395.”

The strict statewide smoking ban modeled after the one in Lincoln was approved by lawmakers Friday, a major breakthrough for public-health advocates and an alarming sign to opponents that state government is being intrusive.

Thirty-four of the Legislature's 49 senators voted for the ban.

Previous attempts to pass a smoking ban have come close but fizzled out. Opponents of the bill from Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney tried to thwart this one by using a filibuster. They gathered little support.

"If they can make the bars in Dublin nonsmoking, I think we can make them nonsmoking in Nebraska as well," said Johnson, a retired physician.

He and other supporters have argued that a ban could be the most effective public-health move in the history of the state, preventing the spread of smoking-related diseases such as cancer by shielding people from secondhand smoke.

Cities and counties can't opt out of the ban, which covers bars, restaurants and all other workplaces in the state except for retail tobacco shops and places where smoking research is done. Hotel rooms also would be exempt.