Lots of e-cig bills introduced in Oklahoma, hearing held

[Bill Godshall]

Yesterday, Oklahoma Senator Rob Johnson introduced SB 1602, which would ban the sale of "tobacco-derived products" and "vapor products" to minors, referred to Senate Health and Human Services Cmte.
OK SB1602 | 2014 | Regular Session | LegiScan

This looks like the same sound bill that was passed by the Oklahoma Senate/House Conference Cmte last year, only to be defeated by the Oklahoma House after the ANTZ urged them to do so.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Senator Rob Johnson also introduced a bill (SB 1892) that would allow "tobacco-derived products" to be taxed at no more than 10% of the cigarette tax, and that there shall be no tobacco or excise tax imposed upon "vapor products".
OK SB1892 | 2014 | Regular Session | LegiScan

 

[rothenbj]

We're just the ants in the path of the elephant herd.

 

[wv2win]

When the ACS tells the legislators that they need to wait on what the FDA does, it re-enforces that the FDA has not changed their position from 2009. Those who state we don't have to worry about the FDA are just fooling themselves.

 

[Bill Godshall]

HB 2904 (the ANTZ bill to deceitfully define e-cigs as "electronic smoking devices" and ban their sales to minors) at
OK HB2904 | 2014 | Regular Session | LegiScan
was referred to the OK House Judiciary Cmte at
Oklahoma House of Representatives - Committee Members

HB 3451 was also referred to the House Judiciary Cmte
http://legiscan.com/OK/bill/HB3451/2014

Since the OK House rejected (per lobbying by ANTZ) the excellent House/Senate Conference Committee approved bill last year that would have banned the sale of "tobacco-derived products" and "vapor products" to minors, its very important that OK vapers and vendors urge the House Judiciary Cmte to reject HB 2904 because:
- it would legally but wrongly define e-cigs as "electronic smoking devices" (which is the ANTZ strategy to then lobby to ban use of the "smoking" devices by falsely claiming that its smoking, just as is now occurring in Hawaii).
- it wouldn't ban the sale of other new tobacco/nicotine products to minors (i.e. Altria's Verve, nicotine skin cream, nicotine water, and PMI's new products)

Meanwhile, In the OK Senate

The other ANTZ bill SB 2014 (which is the same as HB 2904)
OK SB1835 | 2014 | Regular Session | LegiScan
was referred to the OK Senate House and Human Services Cmte at
Senate - Oklahoma Legislature

SB 1602 (Johnson's sound bill to ban the sale of "tobacco derived products" and "vapor products" to minors) at
http://legiscan.com/OK/bill/SB1602/2014
was also referred to the OK Senate House and Human Services Cmte.

SB 1780 (to only ban the sale of "vapor products" to minors at
http://legiscan.com/OK/bill/SB1780/2014
was also referred to the OK Senate House and Human Services Cmte.

To ensure that SB 2014 isn't approved by this Senate House and Human Services Cmte (which is probably more supportive of the ANTZ views than any other OK Senate Cmte), OK vapers and vendors should urge Senate House and Human Services Cmte to support SB 1602 instead of SB 2014 (and instead of SB 1780).

 

[Roger_Lafayette]

SB 1892 (exempts "vapor products" as well as snus, and "tobacco-derived products" from the tobacco tax) is now out of commitee, see Gary Cox:

Oklahoma -- OK! - ECF InfoZone

Gen'l media coverage (all carbon copies of the same AP story - no junk):

Bill intends to differentiate cigarette, e-cigarette; would allow e-cig users to avoid excise tax - Story

OKLAHOMA CITY: Bill would set tax policy for 'vapor' products | National Politics | The State

OKLAHOMA CITY: Bill would set tax policy for 'vapor' products | National Politics | ADN.com

 

[Bill Godshall]

Two weeks ago the Oklahoma Senate substituted and passed a bill (SB 1602) to ban sales of “vapor products” and “alternative nicotine products” to minors, referred to OK House Public Health Cmte
Bill Information

 

[Roger_Lafayette]

Senator Rob Johnson also introduced a bill (SB 1892) that would allow "tobacco-derived products" to be taxed at no more than 10% of the cigarette tax, and that there shall be no tobacco or excise tax imposed upon "vapor products".
OK SB1892 | 2014 | Regular Session | LegiScan

Kaput in cmte: Bill banning e-cigarette sales to minors clears Oklahoma House | News OK

Wednesday night, members of the House Appropriations Committee killed another bill supported by the tobacco industry that would have placed vapor products in the nontobacco category by saying “they do not include any products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration under Chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”

 

[Bill Godshall]

Regarding SB 1602 at
Bill Information


Last month, the OK Senate approved its version of SB 1602 at
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14 FLR/SFLR/SB1602 SFLR.PDF

Last week, the OK House approved its own amended version of SB 1602 at
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14 AMENDMENTS/Amendment & Engr/SB1602 HASB & ENGR.PDF

The bill now goes back to the OK Senate.

 

[Bill Godshall]

After the OK Senate approved the House amended SB 1602, Oklahoma Governor Fallon signed it into law. SB 1602 bans the sale of “vapor products” to minors
Bill Information
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2013-14 AMENDMENTS/Amendment & Engr/SB1602 HASB & ENGR.PDF