The workplace smoking ban has passed the Tennessee Senate. It is scheduled for the House next week.

In related news, one-half of the cigarette tax increase to fund education has cleared the Senate Finance Committee.

UPDATE: Statement by Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle on the cigarette tax:

"Tennesseans, regardless of political party, understand that our schools need more funding. That’s why you saw overwhelming bipartisan support today for increasing the cigarette tax.

I applaud the Republican senators that stood with us. But let me be clear, 20 cents won’t do everything the State needs to do. Twenty cents won’t fund the crime bills. Twenty cents won’t fund State employee pay raises and compression. Twenty cents won’t restore the road fund with recurring funds. And 20 cents won’t discourage as many young people from taking up smoking as 40 cents will.

It is my intention to push the full 40-cent increase that Governor Bredesen has requested when we get this bill to the floor. I expect my Senate colleagues, who understand the importance of these other measures as well as I do, to join me in this effort."