By AP/KWMU
Springfield, Ill. – The state Senate in Illinois is now smoke-free.
Senate President and smoker Emil Jones ended the long-time practice this week of allowing smoking in the Senate Chamber and rooms where committees meet.
Jones sent a memo to his 58 other Senate collegues, telling them the Senate would now follow the ban on smoking in public places set out in the state's Clean Indoor Air Act.
Jones himself is a smoker and smoking was prevalent when Republican James 'Pate' Philip ran the chamber in the 1990s.
The Illinois House banned smoking years ago, and a Jones spokeswoman said he had been considering doing the same for some time and did that now as a new Legislature begins its work.