URGENT -
Texas Call to Action: SB 97 should be amended to remove unnecessary hurdles to adult access to vapor products online
Multiple bills have been introduced in Texas that would ban sales of vapor product to minors (which we support), but would also severely restrict internet sales (which we oppose). CASAA is currently focused on SB 97, which received a hearing last week before the Senate Health & Human Services Committee.
SB 97 would impose unnecessarily harsh restrictions on Internet sales, including requiring every single order to a Texas resident to be sent using an ID check service that costs $6.
Please take action now to urge the Health & Human Services Committee to amend this bill
Amend SB 97 -
Send an Email
Call to Action:
CASAA: Texas Call to Action: SB 97 should be amended to remove unnecessary hurdles to adult access to vapor products online
ECF Discussion:
Texas Call to Action | E-Cigarette Forum
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UPDATE 3/6/15 -
SB 97 was voted favorably out of the Health & Human Services Committee and has been placed on the
intent calendar, meaning it could be considered by the full Senate at any time. We have updated the Call to Action to allow you to send a letter to your senator, so please participate even if you have already done so.
Please take action now to urge the Senate to amend this bill.
Amend SB 97 -
Send an Email
Please take action now to urge the Senate to amend this bill.
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UPDATE - 3/9/2015
Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 10) at 8 AM, the
House Public Health Committee will hold a hearing on
HB 170 (similar to SB 97). This bill would wisely ban sales of vapor products to minors, but like SB 97, it would also implement overbearing rules for online sales of vapor products that would hurt consumers and shut down Texas businesses.
The committee is unlikely to vote on the bill tomorrow, so please keep up the emails and phone calls to members of the Public Health Committee even if you read message after 8 AM on Tuesday.
Please take action NOW to urge the House Public Health Committee to amend this bill.
Amend HB 170 -
Send an Email
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UPDATE -
Several bills that would impede consumer access to vapor products are scheduled for a public hearing in the
House Public Health Committee on
Tuesday, March 24th at 8:00 AM in the Capitol Extension, 2nd floor, room E.012 (Central Gallery - click
here for a map). We have Identified HB 170, HB 81, HB 970, and HB 2321 as all containing language that would impact consumer access, choice, and awareness of vapor products. While we oppose those bills, we urge support of HB 647, a common
sense bill that only seeks to prohibit sales to minors.
Please take action NOW by sending a message and making a call to your representatives urging them to oppose these bills and adopt an appropriate rule prohibiting sales to minors.
For those wishing to testify or otherwise attend the hearing, an organizational meeting will be held on
Monday, March 23rd at 7:00PM at:
Driskill Hotel
(Upstairs lounge area)
604 Brazos St
Austin, TX 78701
This meeting is for anyone interested in testifying or attending the hearing. Remember, even if you are not planning to testify, your attendance is valuable as it demonstrates the large number of people affected by and engaged in this issue.
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UPDATE
(Update - 03/30/2015)
The discussion about prohibiting sales of vapor products to minors in Texas will continue on Monday, March 30th in the House Public Health Committee. Over the past week, a substantial amount of work has been done to bring a bill to the table that would ban sales to minors without imposing unnecessary barriers to adult access.
At this time, there is no one bill in particular we are recommending for our members to support, although we understand there are several amendments being considered that would address at least some of the concerns that we have.
We are asking that you contact your legislators to let them know of your concerns so that the issues that are important to us as consumers are taken into account as amendments are being offered.
Call to Action:
CASAA: Texas Call to Action: Take Action to oppose FOUR bills that would limit adult access to vapor products
ECF Discussion:
Texas Call to Action | E-Cigarette Forum
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New campaign for Texas . . . .
Activities for this Call to Action:
- Send an Email
- Call the Bills Sponsor, Sen. Sylvia Garcia and ask that SB 706 be withdrawn
- Attend the hearing (1:00 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2015)
Summary:
SB 706 would include a liquid substance used to refill an e-cigarette in the states Health and Safety Code as a hazardous substance. This would apply to all e-liquid regardless of nicotine content. Although this would be a means to requiring bottled e-liquid to be sold in child-resistant packaging (which CASAA is supportive of as long as it is tied to a federal standard), there are several other sections of the code that would likely limit consumer access to vapor products including
- Labeling requirements
- Granting rule-making authority to an unelected Board of Health
- Registration requirements for manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, and some retailers
Take Action:
1. Please take action NOW by sending a message to your senator urging him or her to oppose this bill.
(If you live in a district represented by one of the committee members, you will receive a separate alert prompting you to take action. It is vitally important that you participate as lawmakers consider the views of their constituents with more weight.)
2. Please reach out to the bills sponsor and politely request that SB 706 be withdrawn:
- Senator Sylvia Garcia (District 6)
- Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0106
- District Phone: (713) 923-7575
3. SB 706 will be heard in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee:
Please make plans to attend this hearing. Public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes. If submitting written testimony, please provide 20 copies with your name on each. Even if you do not intend to testify, your presence is important as it shows the large number of people impacted by, and engaged in, this issue.
Call to Action:
CASAA: Texas Call to Action: Take Action to Oppose SB 706 which would classify e-liquid as a "hazardous substance" under the Texas Health and Safety Code.
ECF Discussion:
Texas Call to Action: Take Action to Oppose SB 706 which would classify e-liquid as a "hazardous substance" under the Texas Health and Safety Code. | E-Cigarette Forum
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URGENT UPDATE
(Update - 05.04.15)
Neither
SB 97 nor
HB 170 have been favorably amended to protect online sales to adults between the ages of 18 - 21. In fact, the bills are now identical and are moving toward votes in their respective houses.
We are no longer negotiating for a reasonable bill; both of these bills need to be rejected.
Please take action NOW by
sending a message to Texas Representatives and Senators urging them to oppose SB 97 and HB 170.
Call to Action:
CASAA: Texas Call to Action: SB 97 should be amended to remove unnecessary hurdles to adult access to vapor products online
ECF Discussion:
Texas Call to Action | Page 2 | E-Cigarette Forum
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(Writing Tip #1) If you have a lot to say, please craft your email in a separate word doc and then copy/paste it into the field provided. If you take too long, they system will time out and you will lose your work.
(Writing Tip #2) Although we've provided a prewritten email with compelling talking points, we would strongly encourage you to edit the email because personalized communications to legislators are far more persuasive than form letters. At a minimum, PLEASE INSERT YOUR PERSONAL STORY (just a few sentences) in the text of your email.