Associated Press - April 22, 2009 2:35 PM ET

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Gov. Dave Heineman has signed a bill that would exempt cigar bars from the statewide smoking ban set to take effect in June.

Under the bill (LB355), only cigars, not cigarettes, could be smoked in cigar bars. And to be considered a cigar bar, at least 10% of a bar's sales would have to come from cigars and other tobacco and tobacco-related products - not including cigarettes.

Heineman signed the measure on Wednesday morning.

Some opponents think the bill's on shaky legal ground, because it amounts to a special, unnecessary favor for cigar bars, one that conflicts with the reason for the ban: to promote public health.

Attorney General Jon Bruning's office disagrees.

The exemption won't go into effect until September.

On the Net:

Nebraska Legislature: http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/

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