The following bills that were previously introduced had action recently:

Arizona: House Bill 2335, which increases the age for purchase, use and possession of tobacco products (including e-cigarettes) to 21 and extends the smoking ban to include e-cigarettes, was scheduled to be heard in House Health Committee on February 2, 2017.

Connecticut: House Bill 5384, which raises the legal age for the purchase and use of tobacco products to 21, passed a voice vote on January 25, 2017, to reserve a public hearing by the Public Health Committee.

Indiana: House Bill 1578, which increases the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack and raises the minimum age to 21 for the purchase and possession of tobacco products, passed unanimously from the House Public Health Committee on February 1, 2017.

Nebraska: Legislative Bill 438, which increases the state cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack and also increases the tax on OTP from 20% to 65% of the purchase price, was referred to the Legislative Revenue Committee on January 19, 2017.

New Hampshire: House Bill 318, which taxes premium cigars at 15% of the wholesale sales price, reported as “ought not to pass” in the House Ways & Means Committee on February 1, 2017. House Bill 333, which removes the current exemption for premium cigars from the OTP tax rate of 65.03% of wholesale, reported by the majority as “ought not to pass” in the House Ways & Means Committee on February 1, 2017. House Bill 112, which requires child-resistant packaging for electronic cigarette cartridges, reported as “ought not to pass” in the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee on January 30, 2017. House Bill 242, which amends the definition of e-cigarette to mean any electronic smoking device that may or may not include nicotine and defines e-cigarettes as a tobacco product for purposes of sale and licensing, reported by the majority as “ought not to pass” with amendment in the House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee on January 30. 2017.

New York: Assembly Bill 1117 requires companies selling tobacco products over the internet to send a form to individuals to sign stating that such individual is 18 years of age or older, reported from the Assembly Health Committee on January 24, 2017.

North Dakota: House Bill 1312, which increases the purchase age for tobacco products and vapor products from 18 years of age to 19 years of age, received a “Do Not Pass” recommendation from the House Human Services Committee on January 31, 2017.

Texas: Senate Bill 228, which grants municipalities the authority to raise the purchase age for tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, was referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on January 30th.

Virginia: House Bill 2056, which taxes vapor products at $.05 per fluid milliliter of consumable vapor products and 10% of the retailer’s sales price of non-consumable vapor products and devices, including e-cigarettes, e-cigars, and similar devices, was stricken from the docket January 23, 2017.

Washington: House Bill 1054, which increases the legal age to purchase tobacco and vapor products from 18 years of age to 21 years of age, was considered in a public hearing in the House Health and Wellness Committee, on January 24, 2017. Senate Bill 5025, which increases the legal age to purchase tobacco and vapor products from 18 years of age to 21 years of age, was referred to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, on January 23, 2017.

Wyoming: House Bill 151, which would increase the state cigarette tax by 30 cents per pack (from $.60 per pack to $.90 per pack, was reconsidered and passed the House and moved to the Senate. House Bill 168, which increases the tax on cigarettes by $.55 per pack, increases the tax on OTP by 18.33%, and increases the tax on moist snuff by $.55 for any amount up to one ounce, received a “Do Not Pass” recommendation by the House Revenue Committee on January 25th.