Hawaii legislation (HB 2557) would tax e-cigarettes at 70% of wholesale price, ban sales to minors

[Vocalek]

Maybe in your state the procedure is to go to Senate committee, then to the parallel committee in the House before proceeding to the next committee or to the full Senate and full House. The specific process can vary from state to state, but there is always a requirement that both houses pass the bill.

If one side or the other amended the bill, then when both houses pass their own version, there is usually a joint committee that works on bringing the two versions into parallel.

 

[Mediaguy]

Hope it's not all for naught, ultimately - with the FDA's recent announcement that they will seek to redefine what constitutes a tobacco product, e-cigs could fall under any and all tobacco regulation from a federal level:

Regulation of E-Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products

 

[JoeInferno]

not so much recent, as that statement was made on April 25th of 2011

 

[rothenbj]

Looks like smoking may return to bars-

Committee votes to reverse smoking ban | KHON2 Hawaii's News Leader

 

[Corpa]

Looks like smoking may return to bars-

I heard this on the Thursday news broadcast. Our condo is above a pub and I do agree the smokers outside have a tendency get a little rowdy. My personal opinion, but I feel if it passes it would be a step backwards all in the name of dollars.

 

[rothenbj]

I heard later that a prohibitionist passed it back to committee, but haven't had a chance to check it. My libertarian side says it's a good thing, especially for the owners of the bars that depend on that clientele. I know when I smoked I found going to non-smoking bars totally. Even having passed two years without a drag on a cigarette. I still go to the few bars that allow smoking because I find the clientele more to my liking.

The market should determine the smoking status. Around here all the staff tends to be smokers anyway so they're happy to be working in a smoker's bar. In fact the only ones that appear to complain are the non-smoking bars that don't think it's a "level playing field".

 

[DC2]

I still go to the few bars that allow smoking because I find the clientele more to my liking.

You are in good company...

But I will never consider myself a non-smoker. People say that I reply, 'No, I'm a smoker and I choose not to smoke right now'. Because I always find smokers the most interesting people at the table, you know, and I'll never become one of those people who hassle you to give up smoking. That's just hideous, hideous. I hate people like that.

I find that people without vices are often disturbing people that I want nothing to do with.
But maybe that's just me.

 

[BoiseMike]

Wow! A step in the right direction for once. That's good to hear. I really like the way this guy thinks. " “The more freedom we give to visitors as well as residents, I think the happier that people are and the more they feel that they can enjoy all that life has to offer,” said Rep. Tom Brower, who voted for the bill. " Can we get a lot more like him in government for a change?

Looks like smoking may return to bars-

Committee votes to reverse smoking ban | KHON2 Hawaii's News Leader

 

[TennDave]

I'll say this for that young lady. She certainly has a clean brain.

Your statement has caught my eye for awhile- now I realize why- it's the "clean smooth brains" that are not very intelligent. The dirty ones with bumps have more going on upstairs and can think through and make their own decisions rather than being a lemming.

 

[Vocalek]

Your statement has caught my eye for awhile- now I realize why- it's the "clean smooth brains" that are not very intelligent. The dirty ones with bumps have more going on upstairs and can think through and make their own decisions rather than being a lemming.

Anything that's washed too many times gets that smooth and shiny look.

 

[kai kane]

Well, here we go again. I still haven't seen the State's definition of 'ecigarette' yet -but I am hopeful they define it such that it does not get included in this tax ...

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...097-new-hawaii-legislation-tax-smokeless.html

 

[ACM]

The market should determine the smoking status. Around here all the staff tends to be smokers anyway so they're happy to be working in a smoker's bar. In fact the only ones that appear to complain are the non-smoking bars that don't think it's a "level playing field".

I agree, and I would go ever further to say that the idea of bars as "public places" needs to be re-thought. A bar is open to the public, but it's not the same as an office building or a outdoor subway platform (where, in NY, smoking is prohibited.) A person can choose to go to bars or to not go to bars, but to mandate a no smoking policy on a legal level has never seemed right to me. It should not just be a "market driven" determination. It should be at the discretion of the bar owner. Then you'd have smoking bars for smokers and non-smoking bars for non-smokers. Choices would be available. If the concern is to prevent employees from being exposed to secondhand smoke, then people who don't smoke can work in non-smoking bars or, if they don't care one way or another, they can work in either.

But it's an old law in most places and not likely to ever be overturned, so this is just a rant. Ignore me.

 

[kai kane]

Here's the latest I've found (tho' I didn't spend too much time looking) on the recommendations of the committee: SSCR2432

(1) Deleting language adding electronic cigarettes to the definition of "tobacco products", which would subject electronic cigarettes to the same taxation as tobacco products; and


(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Certainly I am pleased that they recommend omitting ecigs from the definition of "tobacco products", I am still quite curious as to how they will define them - the earlier attempt included language like "any battery, heating element ..that could be used".

Has anyone else heard updates on the latest iteration of HB2557 / SB2819 ?

 

[Altmed]

If Hawaii does this tax, then I suppose I just wont go there, at least not without bringing my own eCig juice, stocking up on it before going...

I'm ALL for them banning it for kids, but the extra taxes is ridiculous & baseless, in fact less than baseless... Many vegetables contain fairly high levels of nicotine & our bodies DO have nicotine receptors, and it appears a certain amount of nicotine is necessary, so what then, are they going to ban or tax vegetables too? Unreal!

And to try to stop people from switching from a burning product that contains many known carcinogens (just like burnt bar-b-q food, only inhaled & with the added carcinogens & other toxic chemicals used to make many cigarettes)

Money grab? You bet!

You'd think they'd be more concerned about the plutonium from the Tsunami?

 

[TennDave]

Wait a minute- this was defeated...to last poster...

 

[Vocalek]

Wait a minute- this was defeated...to last poster...

That's right Dave. Hawaii is on the list of CASAA's Successful Campaigns.

Successful CASAA Campaigns