Utah Senate OKs ban on smoking in car with kids

The Utah Senate has approved legislation that would make it illegal for drivers to smoke in the car if they have a passenger younger than 16.

Lawmakers approved the measure on a 16-13 vote Friday.

The violation would be a secondary offense. That means an officer couldn't pull someone over for smoking with a child passenger but could enforce the law while stopping a driver for another violation.

Violators would get a warning on the first offense and be fined $45 on the second.

Supporters say child safety trumps adults' personal freedoms, and secondhand smoke in confined spaces such as a car is an "unacceptable" health threat to children.

Critics say the bill infringes on the personal freedoms of adults and sets a precedent for government interference.