Smoking in apartments can be restricted under new state law

Sept. 7, 2011 11:02 AM PT

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Landlords in California will have clear authority to ban smoking in apartment buildings under a measure signed Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) authored the legislation, which takes effect Jan. 1, in response to concerns that the law was murky on whether smoking can be banned in apartments.

Under SB 332, landlords must notify tenants where smoking is prohibited in an apartment complex, including whether it is banned in specific apartments.

Padilla cited health studies that indicate that second-hand smoke leaking from apartments can be a health risk for a non-smoking neighbor.

-- Patrick McGreevy

Politi-Cal

Patrick McGreevy

Patrick McGreevy covered the California Legislature out of the Sacramento bureau until 2021. He joined the Los Angeles Times in 1998 and worked in the City Hall and San Fernando Valley bureaus, writing about subjects including Valley secession, LAPD reform and city government during the administrations of Mayors Richard Riordan, James Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa. He is a native of San Diego and a graduate of San Jose State University.