The following legislative update has been provided by the National Association of Tobacco Outlets (NATO).
State tobacco-related legislative bills that have been acted on by a state legislative committee or state legislature are listed below alphabetically by state:
Connecticut: Senate Bill 326, which prohibits the sale of flavored cigarettes, tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products, was heard in the Joint Public Health Committee on Feb. 8, 2021. Senate Bill 115, which prohibits any health care facility or pharmacy from selling cigarettes, tobacco products, ENDS and vapor products, was heard in the Joint Public Health Committee on Feb. 8, 2021.
Hawaii: House Bill 476, which, as amended, taxes e-liquid cartridges at the rate of $0.25 each and e-liquids for open systems at the rate of 15 percent of the wholesale price, imposes a 50 percent tax on any product the FDA has determined to be “modified risk,” and requires sellers of e-liquids to obtain a state permit, passed House Health, Human Services and Homelessness Committee with an amendment on Feb. 5, 2021. House Bill 598, which includes vapor products in the definition of “tobacco products” for purposes imposing the 70 percent of wholesale price tax imposed on OTP, and increases the retail tobacco permit fee from $20 to $300 annually and prohibits retail shipment of untaxed tobacco products, passed the House Committee on Transportation with an amendment (not yet available) on February 10, 2021. Senate Bill 138, which, as amended, increases the cigarette excise tax by an unspecified amount per pack, passed Senate Health Committee with an amendment on Feb. 8, 2021.
Indiana: House Bill 1434, being amended in the House Public Health Committee, now increases the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack and raises the OTP tax to 39 percent of wholesale (e-liquid and electronic cigarettes included in the definition of tobacco products). The bill has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
Maryland: House Bill 134 (cross-filed with Senate Bill 177), which prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products and electronic smoking devices (includes menthol, mint and wintergreen), was heard in the House Economic Matters Committee on Feb. 10, 2021. Senate Bill 378, which authorizes Baltimore City to enact and enforce local laws to regulate the sale and distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products and electronic smoking devices, was heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 11, 2021. Senate Bill 410, which authorizes a county or municipality to enact and enforce local laws to regulate the sale and distribution of cigarettes, other tobacco products and electronic smoking devices, was heard in the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 11, 2021.
Missouri: Senate Bill 124, which includes vape and e-cigarettes in the Clean Indoor Air Act and raises the age to purchase to 21 along with other modifications, passed the Committee on Seniors, Families, Veterans and Military Affairs on Feb. 3, 2021.
