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House rejects late amendment to bar vape shops near schools, passes vape bill cleanup
Summary
The House declined to consider a late-filed amendment that would have barred vape stores from operating within 1,000 feet of schools, then proceeded to approve Senate Bill 22 93, a technical update to Tennessee's vaping law. The consideration motion failed for lack of the required two-thirds vote, prompting sharp exchanges about process and lobby influence.
The Tennessee House on April 22 failed to take up a last-minute amendment to Senate Bill 22 93 that would have prohibited vape retailers from locating within 1,000 feet of schools, after which members debated and ultimately passed the bill as a technical cleanup to last year’s vaping law.
Representative Freeman moved consideration of Amendment 4, describing it as a child-protection measure to "protect the children of Tennessee" by keeping vape stores away from schools. The motion to consider the amendment did not receive the necessary two-thirds support on the floor: the clerk reported the motion to consider failed under rule 6(b) for lack of the required two-thirds vote.
The floor exchange grew heated as several members, including Representative Freeman, pressed for the substance of the amendment and accused lobby influence of undercutting protections. "We had an opportunity to protect the kids of Tennessee... Shame on you," Freeman said on the floor. Sponsors and other members pushed back, arguing that the amendment had not gone through committee and that the bill before the House was a narrow cleanup to close a synthetic-nicotine loophole and clarify enforcement authority.
Chairman Hawke, sponsor of the bill, described the measure as a practical clean-up: it would clarify that synthetic nicotine is covered by the definition of consumable material and confirm that fines for vapor-product violations are issued by the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Supporters said those fixes are necessary to prevent manufacturers from evading last year’s law.
After debate the House proceeded to vote on Senate Bill 22 93 as presented on the floor; the clerk recorded the bill as having received a constitutional majority and the chair declared it passed. The floor record shows a recorded vote (reported by the clerk earlier in the day) consistent with passage of the bill on third consideration.
Members left the floor divided over process: proponents said the chamber must respect committee vetting and deliberative rules; opponents said the failure to consider the 1,000-foot amendment was a missed opportunity to strengthen youth protections. The bill will move on according to House procedures for enacted floor actions.
