Regents defer taking a position on proposed vaping tax that would fund an Iowa cancer-research account

A Regents board member presented proposed legislation to tax nicotine products — including e-liquids, nicotine pouches and vapor cartridges — and to credit revenue to a new Iowa Cancer Research Fund under the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The presenter said the bill, as reported out of a Ways and Means subcommittee, currently has no fiscal note available and that opposition is expected from industry groups and some anti-tax groups.

The presenter (unnamed in the transcript) told members that the governor has proposed cancer-research funding in her budget but that this measure is an alternate revenue avenue. When asked by board members what the proposed tax level would be, the presenter said he did not know the specific percentages and that surrounding states use different approaches (per-milliliter charges in some states, other bases elsewhere).

Board Member Chris and others said they were not prepared to take a position without a fiscal note or additional information; Miss River, Robert and other board members voiced the same preference to wait for more details. Robert said he personally dislikes vaping products but preferred to delay a decision until a fiscal analysis is available. The group did not register a formal position on the bill during the meeting.

Next steps: staff said they expect a fiscal note to be available and encouraged members to await that analysis before deciding whether to register support. No formal motion or roll-call vote on a Regents position was recorded in the transcript.