Sex And Cigarettes

Debate over a state-wide smoking ban lit up the senate floor.

Sen. Charles Bishop (R-Tuscaloosa), a lawmaker known for his colorful commentary, summed up his feelings on the smoking ban with a quick sentence. "When someone can't smoke or have sex in their private office, we're in bad shape," he told his colleagues from the podium Thursday.

But, Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile), who has sponsored the smoking legislation for the past eleven years, says while she did find Bishop's comments offensive, they weren't surprising.

"I can't say I'm surprised," said Figures. "With Senator Bishop you can expect anything." Bishop is the same senator who punched a college on the last day of the 2007 legislative session.

"The people of Alabama know by now that Charles just says what's on his mind," says Cynthia Bishop, the senator's wife. "They never have to wonder where Charles Bishop stand on any issue. He's a pretty plain spoken guy."

Figures postponed the vote on the smoking ban after several amendments were added by other lawmakers. One amendment would have excluded bars and restaurants from the legislation, which Figures says would have been a step back from the current law on the books.

"The number one issue here is health. There are studies out there that prove time and time again that breathing second hand smoke is hazardous to one's health," says Figures.

A new vote has not been scheduled.