SANTA MARIA - It's being called the latest attempt to legislate against the harmful effects of second-hand smoke by going into the home.
California Assembly Bill 746 would prohibit smoking in all areas of shared, multi-family dwellings.
This would include inside and outside apartments, townhouses and condos except in locations designated as "smoking areas".
In a state that led the nation in banning indoor smoking in public places like bars and restaurants, many believe AB 746 has a good chance of becoming law.
"Inside your own apartment, in the complex, I think that's a violation of our rights", says smoker and apartment renter Anthony Sherwood.
Sherwood says while he supports the smoking ban in public places he says the proposed legislation goes too far in protecting public health from second hand smoke.
"If people are in an area, different mixes of people, some don't smoke, some do smoke, I understand that", Sherwood says, "but as far as in your own apartment, on your own patio, I think that's a violation, I don't go along with that at all."
"It's a waste of time", adds non-smoker and apartment renter Joe Wyckoff who says AB 746 would be unenforceable, "there's big things that need to be done, big, big things that need to be done in this country and they are not being done at all because we're wasting our time on things like this."
AB 746 was introduced by Democrat Assembly Marc Levine of San Rafael and would make smoking in multi-family dwellings and infraction that would carry a fine.
