The Smokefree Air Act states “environmental tobacco smoke causes and exacerbates disease in nonsmoking adults and children” and regulates where smoking is allowed with the goal of reducing “the level of exposure by the general public and employees to environmental tobacco smoke in order to improve the public health of Iowans.” The county supervisors are looking to get rid of smoke outside of the courthouse entrance, chairman Richard Young said people often smoke right outside of the building when court is being held.

Chapter 142 of Iowa Code states smoking is prohibited in public places, which includes “the grounds of any public buildings owned, leased, or operated by or under the control of state government or its political subdivisions,” which includes county governments. County attorney John Gish explained at Tuesday’s supervisors meeting that the code already prohibits smoking on the courthouse grounds.

The board discussed installing signs and asked what the penalty is, who enforces the code, and whether or not the prohibition includes the sidewalk that goes along B Avenue. The supervisors did not take any action.