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State bill would let attorney general enforce FDA-authorized e-cigarette list; committees adopt targeted fixes
Summary
The attorney general and health officials pushed HB1573 to create a state certification directory aligned with the FDA list of authorized e-cigarette products and to give state enforcement tools; committees adopted minor OIP and penalty-language edits and moved the bill forward.
State officials told lawmakers unauthorized vaping products — not the 39 e-cigarette products currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — are driving youth vaping in Hawaii, and that the state lacks the enforcement tools to remove illegal products from shelves.
Deputy Attorney General Chelsea Okamoto said the bill would create a state directory that mirrors the FDA’s authorization list, require manufacturer certification, and empower state inspectors to enforce the roster. "We've laid this groundwork to educate and raise awareness. Now we're asking the legislature to pass this bill to give the department the tools needed to enforce," she said.
The Department of Health and public-health coalitions supported the measure, saying a directory and civil penalties would help remove unauthorized products aimed at youth. The Office of Information Practices suggested deleting a narrow nondisclosure subsection; the chair also proposed clarifying penalty escalation language to apply starting on the fourth and subsequent violation. The committee adopted those technical changes and advanced the bill to provide state enforcement authority tied to the federal authorized-products list.
