Alabama Clean Air Act 2013 SB195 & HB258

[Huntsvappin]

Looks like Alabama is working on a clean air act again as they did last year. However, if I read SB195 right all our work we did last with year with the AL senate stuck, and vapers in Alabama are in the clear. But!!!! HB258 hasn't changed and we need to immediately start the battle there!!!!

SB195 Page 9. Definition 18 (Smoking)

(18) SMOKE or SMOKING. The act of inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, holding, or possessing any lighted or heated tobacco product including, but not limited to, cigars, cigarettes, or pipes, or any other lighted or heated smoking equipment or device containing any weed, plant, or other combustible substance. The term does not include the use of an e-cigarette.

Is this to good to be True!!!!

HB258 -Let the Battle Begin!!!

Page 7.Definition 18 (Smoking)
(17) SMOKE or SMOKING. The act of inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, holding, or possessing any lighted or heated tobacco product including, but not limited to, cigars, cigarettes, or pipes, or any other lighted or heated smoking equipment or device containing any weed, plant, or other combustible substance. Smoking also includes the use of e-cigarettes and any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this act.

HB258
147818-1
By Representatives McClurkin, Wood, Laird, Ison, Sanderford, Wren, Lindsey, McMillan, Coleman-Evans, Beech, Harper, Merrill, Johnson (W), Baker, Drake, Shiver, Williams (J), Faust, Brown, McCutcheon, McClammy, Wallace, Warren, Standridge, Beckman and Boothe
RFD: Health
First Read: 12-FEB-13

 

[Placebo Effect]

I'm currently putting together a Call to Action for this item.

We need a vaper to attend the hearing when HB258 is scheduled. Obviously last year the House Health Committee ignored our e-mails, and it is very easy to ignore us when no one shows up at the hearing.

 

[Huntsvappin]

I'm currently putting together a Call to Action for this item.

We need a vaper to attend the hearing when HB258 is scheduled. Obviously last year the House Health Committee ignored our e-mails, and it is very easy to ignore us when no one shows up at the hearing.

I will Do my very best to attend and try to get a number of us on a road trip. I will need help tracking this so I can have as much notice as possible to plan the trip.

 

[CES]

I've been wondering when this was going to come up again. Thanks for the head's up Hunstvappin!

Fantastic news about the senate version of the bill!

I started a thread in the Alabama subforum, and linked back here.

 

[Bill Godshall]

It would be very helpful if AL vapers contacted members of the House Health Cmte and urged them to sponsor/support an amendment to eliminate e-cigarettes from HB 258 (to make it consistent with SB 195).

House Health Cmte members are:

12. HEALTH

Chair; Jim McClendon, Vice Chair; Mike Millican, Ranking Minority Member; John Knight

Committee Clerk: Mary Ruth Davis
(334) 242-4753

Elaine Beech, Donnie Chesteen, Berry Forte, Laura Hall, Ed Henry, Ron Johnson, Joe Hubbard, Paul Lee, Becky Nordgren, James Patterson, Allen Treadaway, April Weaver

 

[Bill Godshall]

Alabama legislation and legislators are available at
Welcome to the Alabama State Legislature

House members are listed at
http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/houseroster_alpha.html

 

[Bill Godshall]

Please note that legislation to ban smoking in Alabama workplaces has been introduced every legislative session for the past 20 years, and I don't recall the AL House or Senate passing any of those bills.

 

[Huntsvappin]

It's true Alabama tries to pass a new clean air bill every year, but my goal is the same as it was with the senate last year. Simply remove electronic cigarettes from the smoking definition. And maybe next time they will be like the senate and keep it out.

 

[Placebo Effect]

Call to Action! Alabama E-Cigarette Usage Ban -- HB258

 

[CES]

Thank you!

 

[Huntsvappin]

Updates Email list based Sponsors on and Co Sponsors. Just add them to your current Call to action emails

mcclur@bellsouth.net; bcld07@gmail.com; rjlsr@teleclipse.net; rrjlsr@gmail.com; david.standridge@alhouse.gov; repgregwren@yahoo.com; merika.coleman@alhouse.org; salanharper@gmail.com; ddrake1080@aol.com; jack@jackwilliams.org; hs1989@aol.com; c.mac.mccutcheon@gmail.com; thad.mcclammy@alhouse.org; representativewallace@gmail.com; john@tuscaloosagop.org; staterep@co.escambia.al.us; harryshiver@aol.com; jfaust@co.baldwin.al.us; tiger9127@bellsouth.net; paulbeckmanjr@yahoo.com; Alan.Boothe@alhouse.org; randy.wood@alhouse.org; elainebeech83@gmail.com; klbrown@cableone.net; waynejohnson259@yahoo.com; isonfor101@comcast.net; richard.lindsey@alhouse.gov

 

[CES]

Thanks for the updated list. Got my emails out sent out today . YAY!

 

[Huntsvappin]

Got this email today


I do NOT support HB258 in any form as it is too far over reaching.

Thanks!
Rep. Becky Nordgren

 

[Placebo Effect]

According to the Tobacco Manufacturers Association, SB195 (which specifically excludes e-cigarettes from the definition of 'smoking') was amended in the Senate Health Committee on February 21st. Unfortunately, I can't find the amendment because the Alabama Legislature's bill tracking website is buggy (at least for me using two different browsers).

Of course, I highly doubt the very conservative Alabama legislators, who last year voted unanimously to remove e-cigarettes, would suddenly re-insert them. However, it's obviously best to confirm it -- Alabama Legislative Information System Online

 

[CES]

The amendment that i found for SB195, dated 2-20-13, is dealing with language about clubs, bars, and bingo or gaming facilities. (whew)

Currently listed as "Pending third reading on day 8. Favorable from Health with 1 amendment"

(no action or amendments showing for HB258 since being referred to the house health committee on Feb 12th)

 

[tnwg83]

Looks like Alabama is working on a clean air act again as they did last year. However, if I read SB195 right all our work we did last with year with the AL senate stuck, and vapers in Alabama are in the clear. But!!!! HB258 hasn't changed and we need to immediately start the battle there!!!!

SB195 Page 9. Definition 18 (Smoking)

(18) SMOKE or SMOKING. The act of inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, holding, or possessing any lighted or heated tobacco product including, but not limited to, cigars, cigarettes, or pipes, or any other lighted or heated smoking equipment or device containing any weed, plant, or other combustible substance. The term does not include the use of an e-cigarette.

Is this to good to be True!!!!

HB258 -Let the Battle Begin!!!

Page 7.Definition 18 (Smoking)
(17) SMOKE or SMOKING. The act of inhaling, exhaling, burning, carrying, holding, or possessing any lighted or heated tobacco product including, but not limited to, cigars, cigarettes, or pipes, or any other lighted or heated smoking equipment or device containing any weed, plant, or other combustible substance. Smoking also includes the use of e-cigarettes and any oral smoking device for the purpose of circumventing the prohibition of smoking in this act.

HB258
147818-1
By Representatives McClurkin, Wood, Laird, Ison, Sanderford, Wren, Lindsey, McMillan, Coleman-Evans, Beech, Harper, Merrill, Johnson (W), Baker, Drake, Shiver, Williams (J), Faust, Brown, McCutcheon, McClammy, Wallace, Warren, Standridge, Beckman and Boothe
RFD: Health
First Read: 12-FEB-13

1. We would like you to amend HB258 to remove definition #4 (defining an ‘e-cigarette’) and amending the definition (17) of SMOKE or SMOKING to remove e-cigarette use.

2. My husband and I, have not had a "real" cigarette in over 3 years, therefore we have managed to cut over 4000 chemicals from entering our bodies 20 to 40 times a day. Most of them cancer causing. We no longer expose others to second hand smoke. We are no longer at risk of inadvertantly starting a fire, as there is no "fire" or tobacco in use with an electronic cigarette. There is no "smoke" only vapor. Some electronic cigarettes don't even have nicotine, that is a user preference.

3. Electronic cigarette use is easy to distinguish from actual smoking. Although some e-cigarettes resemble real cigarettes, many do not. It is easy to tell when someone lights a cigarette, from the smell of smoke. E-cigarette vapor is practically odorless, and generally any detectable odor is not unpleasant and smells nothing like smoke.

4. Note that the Senate Health Committee wisely amended e-cigarettes out of the bill last year.

5.Vapor does not behave in the same manner as smoke. There is no "side stream" vapor like the side stream smoke coming from the lit end of a cigarette. There is also no ash or litter. With so little evidence of use, enforcing indoor use bans on electronic cigarettes would be nearly impossible.

6.The ability to use electronic cigarettes in public spaces will actually improve public health by inspiring other smokers to switch. Surveys of thousands of users indicate that the majority of those who switch, completely replace tobacco cigarettes with the electronic cigarettes, reducing their health risks by 98-99%.

7. By switching to a smokeless product, we have greatly reduced our health risks.

8. Go to the CASAA.org website for more information.

Below is a list separated by semi-colons of the representatives email addresses:
Semi-colon separated email list:
jimmcc@windstream.net; mike.millican@alhouse.gov; elaine_h_beech@yahoo.com; dchesteen@panhandle.rr.com; berry.forte@alhouse.gov; laura.hall2@att.net; ed.henry@alhouse.org; ronald.johnson@alhouse.org; john.knight@alhouse.org; pwlee@graceba.net; clearimagesal@earthlink.net; jimpattersonhd21@gmail.com; bsketa@aol.com; april.weaver@alhouse.org, joe@hubbardcoleman.com

Feel free to use my email as template if you so choose

 

[CES]

so, i just read the senate version in a little more detail...as amended it specifically exempts private clubs, bars, bingo and gaming facilities. The house version does not.

No movement on the house version

 

[paleocon12111971]

Alabama is becoming more progressive by the day. Mobile has banned smoking everywhere except bars, private clubs, and tobacco lounges. Birmingham has banned smoking everywhere including hotels/motels and private clubs.

 

[Placebo Effect]

Alabama is becoming more progressive by the day. Mobile has banned smoking everywhere except bars, private clubs, and tobacco lounges. Birmingham has banned smoking everywhere including hotels/motels and private clubs.

The good news...

When Mobile tried to pass the bar ban, the City Council voted (without any opposition) to remove e-cigarettes from the proposed ordinance. The smoking ban itself was then voted down. -- http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...day-but-not-before-removing-e-cigarettes.html

And when Birmingham banned smoking, the legislators there removed e-cigarettes -- UPDATED: Birmingham City Council snuffs out smoking in Birmingham

 

[jfalbanese]

i like, i like. more please.