Smokers looking to enjoy an after-dinner cigarette at their favorite DeKalb restaurant may soon have to step outside.

New state legislation gives local municipalities the option of banning smoking in public places, said State Rep. Bob Pritchard.

It is up to DeKalb’s City Council to decide whether to take action on this newly granted ability, Pritchard said.

Kris Povlsen, 2nd Ward alderman, has been working on a proposal for the city council to ban smoking in public places in DeKalb.

“We want to ban smoking in bars and restaurants because it poses a health hazard for that business’ employees and non-smoking patrons,” Povlsen said.

As soon as this summer, the council may have the results of a study that gauges locals’ opinions on public smoking, Povlsen said.

Last year, a survey of the current cigarette smoking legislation was taken from the DeKalb area, and the results are being compiled to be presented to the city council as soon as this summer, Povlsen said.

There are also people that do not think the government should have any say in how restaurants handle smoking in their establishments.

DeKalb Mayor Greg Sparrow said he thinks it is an infringement on the rights of the business owners.

“Some people have invested thousands and thousands of dollars into their bar or restaurant, and I believe it should be up to them to decide whether or not people are allowed to smoke in their establishment,” Sparrow said.

Passing legislation that affects the private sector of DeKalb’s economy would change the way the city defines the word public, Sparrow said.

But that may not be enough to stop the legislation from passing.

“There are books and books of policies and laws that infringe on the rights of everyone,” Povlsen said. “Your rights are infringed upon when you stop at a stop sign, and there is no one there.”

Some businesses are preparing for the prospect of the new law.

Bakers Square, 131 N. Anne Glidden Road, is wary of losing the customers they have that smoke in their restaurant, which is why they are already making the transition slowly, said Nicole Eckstein, associate manager of the restaurant.

“We stopped allowing employees to smoke in the restaurant just last week,” Eckstein said.

Bakers Square has always had a smoking section but has been thinking about making Saturdays and Sundays smoke-free as a test, Eckstein said.

Even though a lot of restaurants have smoking sections, there are others that do not.

Pizza Villa, 824 W. Lincoln Highway, used to reserve their top level as a smoking section but removed it in the spring of 2004, manager John Finn said.

“I have only received one complaint that we don’t allow smoking in here.” Finn said. “But I have received a lot of compliments because we don’t.”

Pizza Villa is geared toward a pleasant, family-oriented environment and a smoking section just was not necessary for business, Finn said.