Indiana Call to Action - Stop the Monopoly

[Hoosier]

Hoosier Vapors have issued an urgent call to action. Our lobbying efforts have had an impact, but now we face a battle with our original foes.

Stop the Monopoly in Indiana!

A few minutes is all it takes.

 

[pennysmalls]

Done, thanks Hoosier. Any way you can post the name of said security company?

 

[squee]

Are you encouraging people to push for this bill? https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2016/bills/house/1393#document-aa7875e3

Looks like it got stuck in the Public Policy committee

 

[Hoosier]

I'm not sure I should at this point.

If we cannot stop this, it will be the only company that vape shops and liquid producers could use. Imagine having to buy service from a government protected monopoly that is required to stay in business and then add an animosity created from ...... off vapors.

Not saying everything a ...... off vaper could do to them would be unjustified, but it could create a difficult business arrangement for the shops that have to do business with them.

The company is not secret and is on a number of public records so if folks want to know, it's not hard for someone with decent webfu to find.

 

[Hoosier]

1393 was dead last I heard. It was one of our lobbying efforts.

HB1386 has legs and an amendment to it that we are pushing for could allow other security companies to comply with the law. As it stands now the ATC has stated on record that no company complies with the law. The current bill would allow one company to comply, which is the same company that helped push for the law in the first place.

 

[pennysmalls]

I agree with your stance on not rocking the boat to hard with this company Hoosier but at the same time staying silent would be unforgivable, in my mind. I know the CTA addresses this. I do wonder how this particular company knew enough about all of this to know to lobby for it.

 

[Hoosier]

They have ties to Monument...

 

[pennysmalls]

Of course. Should have seen that coming a mile away lol! Well, hopefully between the suit and these further efforts to fight all of this through amending legislation we can make some headway.

 

[zoiDman]

Bump.

 

[roxynoodle]

It won't let me help. Wishing all of you the best.

 

[Hoosier]

Thanks Roxy.

Yes, need to have an Indiana zip code for this one.

 

[Sir Kadly]

Done, though I don't hold out much hope that Jim Arnold will be of much help to us, when he was one of the original co-sponsors.

 

[Sir Kadly]

From my supposed lawmaker:
Thank you for taking a moment to share your support for Senator Boots' amendment to House Bill 1386, which would have extended the deadline from July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. The amendment was to offered to continue the spirit of the free-market system. The amendment was defeated 31-19.

Once again, thank you for your participation in the legislative process. As the Indiana General Assembly prepares to wrap up state business by the March 14, 2016 deadline, I hope you will contact me with any questions or comments you might have.

Sincerely,

Jim Arnold, State Senator

 

[pennysmalls]

What a joke. I'm sorry, but it's apparent that we are not allowed to participate in the legislative process. There is no we, it's only a select few speaking for the majority. I'm so sick of this stuff I could vomit.

 

[Hoosier]

Vaping firms say industry in peril in state unless lawmakers act | 2016-03-01 | Indianapolis Business Journal | IBJ.com

Good article in Indiana Business Journal!

Penny, it has been this way for as long as I can remember. The vast majority just don't care and so don't see it. You care and can see the emperor wears no clothes now.

 

[squee]

That was a good piece @Hoosier but I don't know if it's in time to do any good.

Question for you - if no security company in state complies with the requirements, how will that large liquid manufacturer that was involved with getting the law/regs passed in the first place be able to produce any product? (Monument? or Indy something? Sorry , brain freeze atm)

Also, I have to add my nomination for the stupidest comment in that article:

Sen. Carlin Yoder, R-Middlebury, said the Legislature “has to limit it in some way at some point.”

WTF does that even mean? Why?

 

[Hoosier]

Well, Yoder was the primary force in the state senate behind the original bill and has announced his retirement. Guess his 401k is filled up now...

The bill that did not get amended changes some wording that allows the company in the article to comply. Just that company. They helped push the original bill too. Maybe helped out a retirement account or two?

 

[skoony]

Well, Yoder was the primary force in the state senate behind the original bill and has announced his retirement. Guess his 401k is filled up now...

The bill that did not get amended changes some wording that allows the company in the article to comply. Just that company. They helped push the original bill too. Maybe helped out a retirement account or two?

I am not a lawyer. This whole thing begs the question, has anyone contacted the Indiana
or US Attorney Generals office. This all appears to be blatant in your face cronyism.
Are things so far gone there they need no pretext of serving the public good? Even
Illinois has the common sense to jail those that commit obvious political faux pas.
They're stealing the states lunch money right in front of the hall monitors.

Mike

 

[Sir Kadly]

I am not a lawyer. This whole thing begs the question, has anyone contacted the Indiana
or US Attorney Generals office. This all appears to be blatant in your face cronyism.
Are things so far gone there they need no pretext of serving the public good? Even
Illinois has the common sense to jail those that commit obvious political faux pas.
They're stealing the states lunch money right in front of the hall monitors.

Mike

I don't know the details, but I do know a lawsuit was filed a couple months ago. Hoosier can provide more details on that than I can, I'm sure.

I'm really not as in the know as I should be about this whole situation and am trying to educate myself through a combination of the Hoosier Vapers website and what info I can find out from my local shop (Indigo).

 

[Hoosier]

The Indiana AG held a press conference and said we needed to regulate ecigs a few weeks before the original bills started up last year.... What kind of traction do you think going to the AG is going to produce?

It's all about, what some call, The Old Boys Club. If you are a member, things go your way. If you're not, well, hopefully you can find enough money in the gutter to file a lawsuit. Vapers are not in the club.