Lighting up in public buildings, including bars and restaurants, could soon be illegal in North Carolina.

The House Majority Leader has introduced the Prohibit Smoking in Public Places & Work Places bill. There would be some exemptions, such as existing tobacco shops, private residences and 20 percent of a hotel's rooms.

If the bill passes, North Carolina would join 24 other states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico in putting strong smoking legislation into place. Similar legislation was defeated in 2005 and 2007, but smoking has been banned in state buildings and vehicles.

The proposed smoking ban doesn't seem fair to Raleigh Times bartender Amber Epps.

"I just think the owner should be able to make that kind of decision about what kind of environment they would like to offer," Epps said.

The owner of Solas and Hibernian in downtown Raleigh is in both camps. Smoking is allowed in Hibernian but currently you can't smoke in the dining area of Solas. You can, however, smoke upstairs in the open-air lounge. General Manager John Hackett said the company would support a ban in both places on one condition.

"As long as it's fair and for all locations, for all locations, bars, restaurants, night clubs," Hackett said.

The issue is personal for the bill's sponsor, House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman. He's a two-time lung cancer survivor and lost his sister to lung cancer.

"I know that we will hear many times that this is a business owner's issue, but I think the health concerns of secondhand smoke certainly trump the concerns of business owners," Holliman said.

On top of health concerns, Democratic Representative Rick Glazier said smoking-related diseases cost North Carolina almost $5 billion a year.

"Smoking is creating an unsustainable drag on the economy and the healthcare system of the state," Glazier said.

The bill will have opposition, including Republican Senator Eddie Goodall.

"What I don't want to do is tell the person that invests a million dollars in his own restaurant how he has to run his restaurant," Goodall said.

Non-smoker Corey Palavich said lawmakers will have to sniff out where people can light up.

"I really don't like going to a bar and coming home smelling like a pack of cigarettes," Palavich said.

The bill now goes to a committee.