Next step: Moves to a House committee.

The Senate signed off on a proposal to restrict smoking in cars when a young child is present. The bill, which received some strong opposition during a preliminary vote, resulted in no debate on Wednesday. The Senate approved the bill, sponsored by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake City, on a 20-7 vote. Under the proposal, police could cite a driver who is smoking while driving with a child age 5 or younger. But the offense is only a secondary infraction, meaning a police officer would have to pull the driver over for another reason. McCoy pushed the bill as a safety measure for children, saying second-hand smoke has the same chemicals as the smoker receives directly. "It is tantamount to putting a cigarette in their mouths," he said. But those who voted against the bill say it infringes on personal property rights. - Matt Canham