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Committee passes bill restricting e-liquids from designated foreign adversaries, keeps 3-year tobacco certificate
Summary
Senate Bill 185, carried in the House by Representative Heath Van Adder and presented by Senator Alting, would ban specified e-liquid products manufactured or sourced from designated foreign adversary countries; the committee adopted conforming amendments and kept the tobacco sales certificate term at three years after testimony from industry and agency officials.
Senator Alting told the committee that Senate Bill 185 responds to concerns raised by the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission about certain e-liquid products sourced from foreign adversary countries, citing products from China as the primary example.
"Basically, this bill came before us because China, as an example, has products in our vape source that are, according to the ATC and others, are very, very bad products," Senator Alting said, arguing the measure would block products manufactured, sourced or imported from specified foreign adversaries.
Chair Manning described Amendment 9 as mainly conforming language and noted the amendment preserved the tobacco sales certificate at a three-year term rather than shortening it to one year. The committee adopted Amendment 9 by consent.
Mason Odell, president of the Indiana Smoke Free Alliance and an independent vape shop owner in Fishers, testified in support of the amendments, urging the committee not to unintentionally prohibit open-system refillable devices that adults use to quit smoking. "Independent vape shops... are 100% behind that," Odell said, adding that most open-system liquids his shop carries come from U.S. sources and that disposable devices sold in convenience stores are the primary youth-access concern.
Representative Lehman and others raised drafting questions about language describing the "building or structure" and whether mixed-use buildings with apartments above retail would be unintentionally excluded; Alex Fargo (ATC) said the agency issues certificates tied to the address where tobacco is sold and that staff will work with sponsors to clarify language for second reading.
A motion to pass SB185 as amended was made and seconded; the committee called the roll and later reported a final tally of 10–0 in favor. The bill will proceed to the full House for further consideration; sponsors said they plan additional drafting to tighten definitions before second reading.
