| At a July 19 public hearing, the City Council adopted an ordinance that expands smoke-free areas originally established by the 1975 Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act. The new ordinance prohibits smoking in indoor public places and places of work by deleting certain exemptions of the Clean Indoor Air Act. Smoking in private residences, motor vehicles, designated hotel-motel sleeping rooms, and during Indian spiritual and cultural ceremonies is allowed under state law and is not affected by the City's ordinance.
The Council took public comment for more than four hours before voting 6 - 1 on the smoking ban. The Council also approved a resolution requesting that Hennepin County adopt a countywide smoking ban.
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