Lawrence’s smoking ban will be aired out next week before the Kansas Supreme Court.

The court has set oral arguments on the constitutionality of the ban for 1:30 p.m. April 25.

A decision by the court could affect not only Lawrence’s ban on smoking, which has been in effect since July 2004, but similar bans statewide.

The Lawrence ban has been challenged by Dennis Steffes, owner of Last Call and Coyote nightclubs, who says the ordinance is unconstitutionally vague and illegally supercedes state law.

But city officials have said they have the authority to establish a smoking prohibition inside businesses based on local government’s home-rule authority to protect the health and safety of citizens.