LouisianaLouisiana law limits vapor product sales and cuts taxes on qualifying tobacco products
Louisiana law requires wholesalers to check retailers’ permits, limits some vapor product sales and shipments, and gives qualifying modified risk tobacco products tax breaks.
What it does
People may not supply products containing nicotine analogues in Louisiana. The definition covers substances with a similar chemical structure or a similar or stronger effect on the central nervous system.
Before selling products for resale, wholesalers must check that a retailer has a valid registration or permit. Separate rules limit who may sell or ship vapor products, with an exception for affiliated retailers.
Products the federal health secretary designates as modified risk tobacco products receive a 65% tax reduction. Eligible wholesalers also receive an extra 10% stamp discount for those products.
Argument forChecking retailers’ permits before wholesale sales could make it harder for unpermitted businesses to obtain nicotine products for resale.
Argument againstLimits on who can sell or ship vapor products could reduce buying options for Louisiana customers and make it harder for some sellers to reach them.
More detail
A person may not supply a product containing a nicotine analogue to someone in Louisiana. The rule covers products containing a nicotine analogue supplied to any person in Louisiana. A nicotine analogue has a chemical structure substantially similar to nicotine, or has or claims a similar or stronger effect on the central nervous system. Marketing, labeling, and whether the substance was made or sold to avoid the law may help determine whether it is an analogue.
Wholesalers must check a retailer’s registration or permit before selling covered products for resale. The verification rule covers wholesale sales of tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products to retailers for resale. The separate sales limits cover vapor product businesses with Louisiana permits. For vapor products, manufacturers with Louisiana permits face limits on holding retail or wholesale permits, owning interests in sellers, and selling or shipping directly to retailers or consumers. Permitted wholesalers may supply affiliated permitted retailers, and permitted retailers may buy vapor products only from permitted wholesalers. These vapor product rules do not apply to lawful marijuana products regulated by the Louisiana Department of Health.
The tax on qualifying modified risk tobacco products is reduced by 65%, and eligible wholesale dealers receive an additional 10% discount on stamps for those products. These provisions cover qualifying modified risk tobacco products and, for the stamp discount, eligible wholesale tobacco dealers. The federal health secretary must determine that a product is a modified risk tobacco product for the 65% tax reduction. The stamp discount applies to wholesale tobacco dealers who qualify for the stamp discount described in the text.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 23Becomes Act No. 920 without the Governor's signature.Latest
- Jun 23Effective date: 08/01/2026.
- May 26Sent to the Governor for executive approval.To Governor
- May 25Notice of Senate adoption of Conference Committee Report.
- May 25Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.Minor
- May 25Signed by the President of the Senate.
- May 20Senate conference committee members appointed: McMath, Price, and Reese.
- Vote recorded ADOPT CONFERENCE REPORT (#1457). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded ADOPT (#1062). Result: pass.Upper
- May 20Notice of Senate conferees appointed.
- May 20Conference Committee report received. Lies over under the rules.
- May 20Rules suspended.
- May 20Conference committee report received.
- May 20Conference Committee Report read, roll called, yeas 95, nays 0. Having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, the Conference Committee Report was adopted.
- May 20Rules suspended.
- May 20Conference Committee Report read; adopted by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays.
- May 20Notice House adopted the Conference Committee Report.
- May 19House conferees appointed: Brass, Robby Carter, and Chance Henry.
- May 19Notice House Conference Committee members appointed.
- May 13Read by title, returned to the calendar.
- Vote recorded REJECT SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1250). Result: pass.Lower
- May 13Called from the calendar.
- May 13Read by title, roll called, yeas 98, nays 0, Senate amendments rejected, conference committee appointment pending.
- May 13Notice House rejected the Senate amendments.
- May 12Received from the Senate with amendments.Minor
- May 12Scheduled for concurrence on 05/13/2026.
- May 11Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 34 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FINAL PASSAGE (#750). Result: pass.Upper
- May 4Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.Minor
- Apr 29Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
- Apr 28Reported with amendments.Minor
- Apr 13Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.Minor
- Apr 8Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.Minor
- Apr 7Called from the calendar.
- Vote recorded HB 782 BY BRASS (#340). Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 7Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 100, nays 1. The bill, having received two-thirds vote of the elected members, was finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.Passed House
- Apr 1Read by title, returned to the calendar.
- Apr 1Notice given.
- Apr 1Scheduled for floor debate on 04/07/2026.
- Mar 31Scheduled for floor debate on 04/01/2026.
- Mar 30Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.Minor
- Mar 26Reported with amendments (12-0).Minor
- Mar 9Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27Prefiled.Minor
- Feb 27Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.Minor
- Feb 27First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.Introduced
Consumer ProtectionTaxes & Budget