Texas has no statewide outdoor smoking ban. Harris County does not regulate outdoor smoking on private property in unincorporated areas. Cities including Houston enforce their own smoke-free ordinances covering bar patios, transit stops, and entrances. State law sets vehicle smoking with minor protections.
Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 161 Subchapter K bars smoking only in specific public places: schools, child care facilities, hospitals, public transit, and intercity buses. There is no statewide indoor or outdoor restaurant or bar ban. Harris County has no smoke-free ordinance for unincorporated areas. Houston's Smoke-Free Air Ordinance bars smoking in restaurants, bars, sports venues, transit stops, and within 25 feet of building entrances. Pasadena, Baytown, and Sugar Land enforce their own ordinances. Texas Penal Code Section 48.01 limits smoking in vehicles with passengers under 18 to a Class C citation. Harris County Public Health offers cessation referrals but lacks countywide outdoor enforcement.
City Houston Smoke-Free Air Ordinance violations carry fines up to $2,000. Section 48.01 vehicle smoking with a minor is a Class C misdemeanor with up to $250 fine. No county outdoor smoking citation exists in unincorporated Harris County.
Harris County, TX
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Harris County, TX
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Harris County, TX
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Harris County, TX
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Harris County, TX
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Harris County, TX
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See how Harris County's outdoor smoking restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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