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The effort to pass a smoking ban in Quincy may be null and void now that a statewide ban is close to becoming law.

The state legislature has already passed the bill. All that's left is for Governor Blagojevich to sign it into law.

We asked Jerry Schmidt , the owner of the State Street Bar and Grill if he was concenred that a statewide ban could force him to close his doors?

"That's a good question,'' Schmidt. "Being as we don't have the ability to make those decisions, what we feel is best for our business, it's up to our customers to decide whether or not we stay in business. If they continue to come through the doors, smokers and non-smokers, it's a very challenging situation."

Some State Street Bar and Grill customers that we spoke to were  not in favor of the statewide ban.

Russell Stille said, "It's gonna take a long time for some people to quit smoking and they're not going to go in public places if they can't smoke."

Leigh Robertson said, "They're just gonna go to the grocery store and buy steaks and grill and stay home where they can have a drink and smoke if they wish, cause that's their privilege."

We also spoke with Amy Shirey who is a member of the Coalition for a Smoke Free Quincy.

She says that even when the Governor signs the bill into law, the Coalition's work is far from over.

"We have a lot of education to do from now until when the smoking legislation is implemented. We have to help those businesses that currently allow smoking in their businesses to change over and who are expected now to become smoke free. So there's still quite a lot of work to do."

Quincy Mayor John Spring says the city will have to wait and see what's included in the state ban before deciding if Quincy needs to take any further action.

"I knew there'd be a very good chance it would pass in the House. But in the meantime we were trying to move ahead to see how we would direct that. Now we'll just have to wait and see what the state say, what it contains in the bill and we'll have to be ready to follow the state law."

Once signed, the statewide ban on smoking will take effect Jan. 1.

The Coalition for a Smoke Free Quincy plans to hold seminars and conferences to make the transition easier for local businesses.