LANSING, MI (AP)-- Legislation would roll back a provision of Michigan's smoking ban to allow smokers to light up at outdoor seating for bars and restaurants.
The bill's chief sponsor is Republican state Rep. Tom McMillin of Rochester Hills. He tells the Detroit Free Press some bar and restaurant owners see the ban "as blatant over-regulation and usurping the rights of business owners to make their own rules on their own property."
Under the proposal introduced in mid-November, restaurants would be able to choose whether to allow smoking in outdoor areas.
Michigan's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars has been the law since 2010. The state has said owners already can allow smoking on patios and decks if food and drinks aren't being served.