SPRINGFIELD - A House committee approved legislation Tuesday that would expand the state's smoking ban to include bars and bowling alleys.

Despite concerns the proposal would hurt businesses by turning away smokers, the committee voted 6-4 in favor of the measure.

"Whether you work at as an executive at a Fortune 500 company or you work on a wait staff at a local pub, your right to breath smoke-free air would be protected by this bill," said state Rep. Annazette Collins, D-Chicago, the proposal's sponsor.

The existing law, which bans smoking in all indoor areas serving the public, makes exceptions for bowling alleys and bars. However, the new proposal would make it necessary for them to ban smoking entirely within two years. The ban would also prohibit people from smoking within 15 feet of the entrance to any public place.

Tobacco shops would be the only remaining exception in the new smoking ban.

A law allowing municipalities to ban smoking in bars and bowling alleys was approved during the last session and has been in effect since Jan. 1. Legislation allowing counties the same power is currently under debate in the Illinois Senate.

Since local smoking bans have been allowed, Springfield, Deerfield and Chicago have approved bans. Forty other communities, including DeKalb, Normal, Bloomington and Carbondale, are considering them.

Critics said there has not been time for that legislation to run its course in local communities.

"This bill would pull the rug out from under them, right in the middle of the process," said Steve Riedl, spokesman for the Illinois Licensed Beverage Association.

Proponents of the statewide ban said that it would make it easier for businesses and communities to be smoke-free if the whole state had the same rules.

"There are several communities in my area, because we're suburban Chicago, that have said we really would rather have a statewide ban, it would be easier than doing it one city by one city by one city," said state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview.

Todd Maisch, spokesman for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said the decision should be left to local areas, and the proposal to ban smoking everywhere goes too far.

The legislation is House Bill 4338.

Crystal Lindell can be reached at Crystal.lindell@;lee.net or 789-0865.