Senate committee advances bill to regulate vaping products, adds tax and ID rules; amendment sends revenue to general fund

Chairman Yeager moved Senate Bill 763, a measure aimed at tightening sale and oversight of vaping products, and the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee voted to recommend the bill to the calendar committee after adopting an amendment that directs revenues to the state general fund.

The bill, as described by Chairman Yeager, would strengthen identification requirements for vaping products to match the checks used for alcohol and tobacco, require manufacturers and distributors to post product information to a Department of Revenue website, and impose a modest tax on vaping products. “This bill will strengthen the identification requirements … the same as we do for alcohol or tobacco,” Yeager said while explaining the measure and an accompanying amendment.

The amendment the committee adopted (amendment number referenced in committee as 005630) directs any revenues generated by the bill into the general fund, after deduction of administration and enforcement costs. Committee members cited the fiscal note’s…