Kankakee County, IL Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Buffer distance
- 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows, vents
- Covers
- county buildings and county vehicles
- Includes e-cigarettes
- yes, same as combustible smoking
- Signage required
- No Smoking signs posted at each entrance
- Legal basis
- Smoke-Free Illinois Act, 410 ILCS 82
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 2019-07-09-114, July 9, 2019
Summary
Kankakee County bans smoking and e-cigarette use inside all county buildings and vehicles, and within 15 feet of every entrance, exit, operable window and ventilation intake, under Ordinance No. 2019-07-09-114. The ban implements the state Smoke-Free Illinois Act on county property, and the county requires posted "No Smoking" signs at every building entrance covered by the ban.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Governing Authority of Kankakee County Board after review, discussion and consideration it is hereby resolved that smoking and use of electronic cigarettes is prohibited in all Kankakee County Buildings, County vehicles and within 15 feet of entrances, exits, windows that open and ventilation intakes of Kankakee County Buildings by the authority of State law, 410 JLCS 82/, (Source: P.A. 95-17, effective January 1, 2008) The Smoke-Free Illinois Act; and ... NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED by the Governing Authority of the Kankakee County Board after review, discussion and consideration it is hereby resolved that the County shall post "No Smoking" signs at each entrance of Kankakee County Buildings where smoking is prohibited, remove ashtrays from areas where smoking is prohibited, and designate authorized smoking area for employees and members of the public for each County Building as designated by the Facilities Manager and the County Board Chairman.
Full Breakdown
Section 22-3 of the Kankakee County Code, adopted by Ordinance No. " The ordinance recites that it acts "by the authority of State law," citing the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, so the 15-foot buffer mirrors the statewide workplace smoking law but is written into the county's own code as a rule for county-owned property. The ban covers county administration buildings, the courthouse and other county facilities, plus any vehicle owned or operated by the county, and reaches outdoors far enough to keep smoke away from doors and air intakes rather than just banning it indoors.
Enforcement responsibility for the physical setup sits with the county Facilities Manager and the County Board Chairman: the same ordinance directs the county to post "No Smoking" signs at each entrance of a county building where smoking is prohibited, to remove ashtrays from those areas, and to designate an authorized outdoor smoking area for employees and the public at each county building. That designated-area language means the buffer is not absolute everywhere on county grounds, only within the mapped 15-foot zone and any other posted area, with a separate spot set aside beyond it.
Violations & Fines
Section 22-3 does not set its own dollar fine; it operates as the county's implementation of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act on county property, so violations of the smoking prohibition in county buildings, vehicles or the 15-foot buffer are handled through that state law's enforcement framework. County facilities staff enforce the posted "No Smoking" signage and can direct smokers to the designated outdoor smoking area established for each building instead of near an entrance, exit or air intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I smoke outside a Kankakee County building?
Does the county ban e-cigarettes too?
Is smoking allowed in a county vehicle?
Where can county employees smoke legally?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kankakee County
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