State Rep. Bruce Cutler asked top Utah officials Monday to ban tobacco use at the Capitol, including on its grounds and surrounding buildings.
But the Capitol Preservation Board — whose members include some fellow state legislators and other elected officials such as Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Sean Reyes — worried how that may affect visitors and employees.
So it ordered more study, including about how many other state capitols nationwide ban tobacco use, how tourism companies believe it could affect international visitors and how difficult it might be to enforce such a ban.
Cutler, R-Murray, told the board he came up with the idea after reading that the University of Utah in August decided to ban tobacco and e-cigarette use on campus — joining Brigham Young University and Dixie State University in such prohibitions.