On February 20, 2024, Associate Policy Director Brianna January testified before the House Economic Matters Committee in support of HB 1180- Cigarettes, Other Tobacco Products, and Electronic Smoking Devices- Revisions (Tobacco Retail Modernization Act of 2024) with amendments. This bill changes a number of standards and procedures for how retail locations are able to offer tobacco and other related products for sale.
Counties have hundreds of locations selling these products in their jurisdictions, while concurrently undertaking substantial efforts, both financial and operational, to remediate the negative effects these products have on the health of residents, particularly children. Law enforcement agencies, schools, and local health departments bear the brunt of this task, and their efforts are limited by the necessary funding to provide services.
From MACo Testimony:
The bill as written sends $100 of the $300 license fee to county governments, which is a portion that lacks an appreciation for the financial burden counties incur purely as a result of the licensing. Counties would increase the share of that fee sent to the local governments to supplement their existing remediation efforts. Additionally, counties believe the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission should be tasked with the full responsibility of performing inspections, rather than delegating these duties to county governments.
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