Gary Heinlein / The Detroit News
LANSING — Legislation to ban smoking in public places — including restaurants, bars and Detroit casinos — cleared a key House committee today and was sent to the full House.

It’s the farthest a broad anti-smoking measure has made it in the Michigan Legislature, after a decade of efforts by proponents to pass such legislation. If the bill makes it all the way through the Legislature, and that’s uncertain at this point, Michigan would join 32 other states that prohibit smoking in public buildings.

“We are elated that this is the farthest this legislation has gone and hope the House takes quick action,” said Judy Stewart, Michigan spokeswoman for the Campaign for Smokefree Air and the American Cancer Society.

But Matt Groen, legislative affairs manager for the Michigan Restaurant Association, said he hopes the Republican-led Senate will quash the bill — assuming it passes the House. He said 4,300 restaurants already bar smoking but owners should be free to choose.

“They made the investment . . . it’s their right to determine how to run their restaurants,” Groen said.

In today’s action, lawmakers created an exemption to the proposed new law for cigar bars — taverns collecting at least 30 percent of their revenue from tobacco sales — and for tobacco shops that have smoking lounges.

The committee didn’t resolve an issue raised by Rep. Bill Huizinga, R-Zeeland: the bill, by outlawing smoking in Detroit’s casinos, will create a competitive advantage for tribal casinos. The state law wouldn’t apply to tribes, which are considered sovereign nations, so they presumably would continue to permit smoking in their casinos.

Ohio’s smoking ban went into effect this year, and Illinois’ ban is to take effect next year.

You can reach Gary Heinlein at (313) 222-2470 or gheinlein@detnews.com.