CASAA: Hawaii Call to Action: Multiple bills threaten access to and use of electronic cigarettes!
Numerous bills have been introduced in the Hawaii Legislature that threaten the health and welfare of vapers, smokers, and small businesses in Hawaii. The Hawaii vaping community has faced these threats before, but this year we are under attack by opponents that have set their sights on two goals -- big taxes and usage bans. Your Hawaii legislators need to hear from you.
The Most Threatening Bills Being Considered:
SB 1220 & HB 1164 would: Define e-cigarettes as tobacco products and subject all nicotine-containing vapor products to a tax of 80% of wholesale price
SB 1032 & HB 1184 would: Define e-cigarettes as tobacco products and subject all nicotine-containing vapor products to a tax of 70% of wholesale price
SB 299 would: Subject all nicotine-containing vapor products, as well as electronic smoking device kits, to a tax of 30% of wholesale price.
SB 18, SB 757, SB 1109 & HB 940 would: Define use of an electronic smoking device as smoking and ban vaping everywhere smoking is banned in Hawaii.
Step by Step to Hawaii Vaping Advocacy
(1) Take action NOW by sending two editable emails through CASAAs website
(2) If you visit the Hawaiis Legislatures website for each individual bill using the links above, you can submit written testimony directly to the bill file. This is a great way for you to put your story, your thoughts, and scientific documents into the formal record.
(3) Make phone calls to your own representatives in the House and Senate, as well as members of leadership in the House and Senate. Members of leadership are important figures in the Hawaiian State Government and they need to receive respectful phone calls from vapers requesting that they oppose all bills that would limit the affordability or usage of vapor products by adults.
(4) Make phone calls to the members of the House Finance and Senate Ways & Means Committees.These legislators have huge power over the fate of tax bills. In a brief and respectful manner, ask that they oppose all bills to impose additional taxes on smoke-free vapor products and e-cigarettes.
(5) Due to the sheer number of bills CASAA is tracking across the country and the frequency of hearings in Hawaii, it is not possible for us to continuously update our members on the progress of these bills. We recommend following the Hawaii Vapers United Facebook page for more frequent updates.
(6) You can also stay up to date on what bills are receiving hearings by following this search page.
(7) Remember, Hawaii Vapers, this is a fight that needs to start now and continue throughout March, April, and into early-May. Bills in Hawaii tend to be passed through committee very easily, BUT that in no way means that the bills actually become law at the end of the day. We can stop these harmful policies from being law -- just keep fighting.
Numerous bills have been introduced in the Hawaii Legislature that threaten the health and welfare of vapers, smokers, and small businesses in Hawaii. The Hawaii vaping community has faced these threats before, but this year we are under attack by opponents that have set their sights on two goals -- big taxes and usage bans. Your Hawaii legislators need to hear from you.
The Most Threatening Bills Being Considered:
SB 1220 & HB 1164 would: Define e-cigarettes as tobacco products and subject all nicotine-containing vapor products to a tax of 80% of wholesale price
SB 1032 & HB 1184 would: Define e-cigarettes as tobacco products and subject all nicotine-containing vapor products to a tax of 70% of wholesale price
SB 299 would: Subject all nicotine-containing vapor products, as well as electronic smoking device kits, to a tax of 30% of wholesale price.
SB 18, SB 757, SB 1109 & HB 940 would: Define use of an electronic smoking device as smoking and ban vaping everywhere smoking is banned in Hawaii.
Step by Step to Hawaii Vaping Advocacy
(1) Take action NOW by sending two editable emails through CASAAs website
- Letter #1: OPPOSE excessive taxes on e-cigarette products
- Letter #2: OPPOSE including smoke-free vapor products in Hawaiis smoking ban
(2) If you visit the Hawaiis Legislatures website for each individual bill using the links above, you can submit written testimony directly to the bill file. This is a great way for you to put your story, your thoughts, and scientific documents into the formal record.
(3) Make phone calls to your own representatives in the House and Senate, as well as members of leadership in the House and Senate. Members of leadership are important figures in the Hawaiian State Government and they need to receive respectful phone calls from vapers requesting that they oppose all bills that would limit the affordability or usage of vapor products by adults.
(4) Make phone calls to the members of the House Finance and Senate Ways & Means Committees.These legislators have huge power over the fate of tax bills. In a brief and respectful manner, ask that they oppose all bills to impose additional taxes on smoke-free vapor products and e-cigarettes.
(5) Due to the sheer number of bills CASAA is tracking across the country and the frequency of hearings in Hawaii, it is not possible for us to continuously update our members on the progress of these bills. We recommend following the Hawaii Vapers United Facebook page for more frequent updates.
(6) You can also stay up to date on what bills are receiving hearings by following this search page.
(7) Remember, Hawaii Vapers, this is a fight that needs to start now and continue throughout March, April, and into early-May. Bills in Hawaii tend to be passed through committee very easily, BUT that in no way means that the bills actually become law at the end of the day. We can stop these harmful policies from being law -- just keep fighting.
