About the Act
The Freedom to Breathe (FTB) provisions were signed into law by Governor Tim Pawlenty on May 16, 2007, to protect employees and the public from the health hazards of secondhand smoke. The FTB provisions are an expansion of the current Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act (MCIAA).
Prohibited Smoking Locations
As of October 1, 2007 when the new provisions went into effect, smoking is prohibited in virtually all indoor public places and indoor places of employment, including:
- Auditoriums, arenas and meeting rooms
- Bars, restaurants, and private clubs
- Common areas of rental apartment buildings, hotels, and motels
- Day care premises
- Health care facilities and clinics
- Home offices with 1 or more on-site employees, or used as a place to meet or deal with customers
- Office and industrial workplaces
- Public and private educational facilities
- Public transportation including taxis
- Retail stores
- Work vehicles if more than 1 person is present
For More Information
For more information on Freedom to Breathe, including resources to help your business make the smoke-free transition, please visit the following the Minnesota Department of Health website. You made also utilize the following websites or documents: