By DAVID EGGERT

Associated Press Writer

An anti-smoking bill that appeared to be going nowhere took a surprise turn Thursday in the Senate when 25 lawmakers voted for a ban on smoking in Michigan’s bars, restaurants and workplaces.

The bill returns to the House, which has been waiting since December for the Senate to act. The House could send the bill as early as next week to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who backs the smoking prohibition in part because it could have a positive influence on youngsters.

Studies have shown teenagers are less likely to take up smoking in communities with bans.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, who allowed the Senate to vote despite personally opposing the measure, called it a “blatant overreach” of government into private affairs.

“When will it stop? How much control do you want? And when will people have to stop thinking for themselves entirely?” asked Bishop, a Rochester Republican who was one of a dozen senators to vote against the proposal.

Sen. Raymond Basham, a Taylor Democrat and longtime backer of a smoking ban, said the measure was necessary because — while customers may avoid smoky taverns and restaurants — bartenders, waitresses and other employees still have to work in them.

The U.S. Surgeon General in 2006 reported that breathing any amount of secondhand smoke harms nonsmokers, and called for making buildings and public places completely smoke free.

More than 30 states outlaw smoking in public or work places, according to supporters. Some bans don’t apply to restaurants and bars, though, while others make exceptions for casinos and other buildings.

The bill that passed the House five months ago would have exempted casinos, bingo halls, horse tracks, cigar bars and smoke shops from the ban. The Senate stripped those provisions in favor of banning smoking in all workplaces — though American Indian casinos likely would be exempt because many state laws don’t apply there because of tribal sovereignty.

Special exemptions for casinos and other buildings were needed to get the bill through the House the first time around.

The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association criticized Thursday’s vote, saying it could hurt the customer base of Michigan’s hospitality industry. Bars and restaurants should be allowed to set their own policies based on what customers want, according to the group and the Michigan Restaurant Association.

More than 5,000 of the roughly 16,000 bars and restaurants in Michigan already ban smoking, up from around 2,200 in 1998.

Supporters of the legislation said studies show that smoking bans in other states didn’t have any net economic impact on bars and restaurants. They applauded Bishop for allowing a vote despite his opposition to the bill. Legislative efforts to enact a ban date back nearly a decade.

“It shows that he has heard our concerns about the greater good for all Michigan residents,” said Judy Stewart, spokeswoman for the Campaign for Smokefree Air.