Denver ? A proposal to ban smoking in public places across Colorado is facing opposition from members of both parties in the Senate.

Republicans and Democratic Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, have lined up against the proposal from Sen. Dan Grossman, D-Denver, even though he hasn’t introduced a bill yet.

Hagedorn said Wednesday that such a law would affect so many people it’s only fair to let voters decide.

“If the proponents don’t think they have statewide support for this, then we shouldn’t be voting on it,” he said.

Grossman said he didn’t think a referendum would be a good idea because lawmakers already planned to ask voters about a proposed fix for the state’s budget problems this fall. However he said he wouldn’t rule it out.

Grossman and state Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, got the endorsement of health care professionals, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Colorado Restaurant Assn. when they announced the proposal last week.

Grossman said the proposal was still being drafted and he was considering introducing it in the House first instead of the Senate.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillman, R-Burlington, said Senate Republicans viewed the ban as a property rights issue and they opposed forcing all businesses across the state to comply. He said some of his colleagues may support letting voters in a community decide on a local ban but that can already happen without the endorsement of state lawmakers.

Lawrence, Kan., banned smoking in most public indoor places last July.