Question: when did the us ban smoking in public places

title: List of smoking bans in the United States
text: No statewide smoking ban . Instead , Texas ' 1997 statewide smoking law only prohibits smoking in activities of public schools on or off school property , elevators , theatres , libraries , museums , hospitals , buses , airplanes , and trains , as long as these areas are open to the general public , unless the proprietor designates the place for smoking and posts appropriate warning signs . Violation of this law is a class C misdemeanor . Texas law is silent as to whether local governments may regulate smoking more stringently than the state , and on December 9 , 2004 , the Texas Court of Appeals upheld El Paso 's municipal ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants . As of October 2 , 2017 , 128 cities in Texas have enacted local smoking bans to varying degrees . Attempts to ban smoking statewide have failed twice before the Texas Legislature , first in May 2007 when a bill to ban smoking statewide in all enclosed workplaces , including bars and restaurants passed the Texas House of Representatives by a vote of 91 -- 48 after being amended to allow any business owner to opt out of the ban by posting signs saying smoking is permitted , and then did not receive a vote in the Texas Senate , and then again in May 2009 , when a similar bill was passed by a Senate committee but did not receive the 21 votes necessary to reach the Senate floor .