Tobacco Legislation Moves to Governor’s Desk
The CSAC Policy Committee adopted a SUPPORT position on a raft of tobacco control measures heard in the Second Extraordinary Session on Health Care (Special Session) over the past nine months. All of the bills have now been sent to the Governor for his signature or veto.
These bills were previously being kept in enrollment, a little-used purgatory of sorts between the Legislature and the Governor, in an effort to stall threats made by the tobacco industry to overturn the proposed measures with a statewide initiative campaign and generally derail the initiative process. The tobacco bills are described in the chart below:
|
Bill Number |
Author |
Description |
CSAC Position |
|
SBX2 5 |
Senator Mark Leno |
Adds e-cigarettes and vaping products to the existing definitions of tobacco products. |
Support |
|
SBX2 7 |
Senator Ed Hernandez |
Increases the age of sale for tobacco products from 18 years of age to 21. |
Support |
|
ABX2 7 |
Assembly Member Mark Stone |
Closes loopholes in smoke-free workplace laws. CSAC sought amendments clarifying that the requirements of the bill would only apply to owner-operated business where there is interaction with the public. |
Support if Amended |
|
ABX2 9 |
Assembly Member Tony Thurmond |
Closes existing school tobacco regulation loopholes and expands eligibility for Tobacco Use Prevention and Education program funding to charter schools. |
Support |
|
ABX2 10 |
Assembly Member Richard Bloom |
Allows a county to impose a tax on the privilege of distributing cigarettes and tobacco products. |
Support |
|
ABX2 11 |
Assembly Member Adrin Nazarian |
Establishes an annual Board of Equalization tobacco licensing fee program, similar to how alcohol is licensed. |
Support |
