VirginiaRetail tobacco and hemp products; smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age, prohibitions.
What it does
Possession, etc., of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age; liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products license; prohibitions; enforcement. Prohibits any person younger than 21 years of age from possessing any retail tobacco or hemp product intended for smoking, as those terms are defined in relevant law, with certain exceptions enumerated in the bill. The bill provides that any such product purchased or possessed by a person younger than 21 years of age (i) shall be deemed contraband and (ii) may be seized by a law-enforcement officer.
More detail
Any such product, the lawful possession of which is not established, seized by such officer shall be forfeited and disposed of according to the process described in relevant law. The bill also provides that seizure shall be the sole penalty for a violation of such prohibition and that the provisions of the bill shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute. Further, if a person does not receive a license from the Department of Taxation to sell, deal, transport, or ship liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products to retailers in the Commonwealth, such person is subject to a penalty of $400, in addition to any other applicable taxes or fees. The bill provides that the Department of Taxation is not required pursuant to relevant law to conduct unannounced investigations of retail tobacco dealers at least once every 24 months to verify that a retail dealer is not selling retail tobacco products to persons younger than 21 years of age. Lastly, the bill requires the Department of Taxation to convene a work group consisting of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia State Police, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services to develop an enforcement program related to the sale of retail tobacco products or hemp products intended for smoking to individuals younger than 21 years of age. The work group's findings and recommendations are to be reported to the Chairs of the House Committees on General Laws and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Rehabilitation and Social Services and Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2025. This bill is identical to HB 1946.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Mar 24Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0596)Latest
- Mar 24Approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin-Chapter 596 (Effective 07/01/25)Became Law
- Mar 11Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025To Governor
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025Minor
- Mar 10Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1060)
- Mar 10Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 7Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 7Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1060ER)Major
- Mar 7EnrolledMinor
- Feb 24Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1060)
- Feb 21Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Conference report agreed to by House (80-Y 15-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 21Conference report agreed to by House (80-Y 15-N)Minor
- Feb 20Conference substitute printed 25107837D-S3
- Feb 20Amended by conference committee
- Feb 12Conferees appointed by Senate
- Vote recorded Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded House substitute rejected by Senate (4-Y 33-N). Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded Passed House with substitute (86-Y 10-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (95-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Senate acceded to request
- Feb 12Delegates: Hope, Seibold, Austin
- Feb 12Conferees appointed by House
- Feb 12Senators: Ebbin, Salim, Peake
- Feb 12Conferees appointed by Senate
- Feb 12Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N)
- Feb 12House requested conference committeeMinor
- Feb 12House insisted on substituteMajor
- Feb 12House substitute rejected by Senate (4-Y 33-N)
- Feb 12Passed House with substitute (86-Y 10-N)Passed House
- Feb 12Engrossed by House - floor substitute
- Feb 12Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- Feb 12Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (95-Y 0-N)
- Feb 12Read second timeMinor
- Feb 12Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
- Feb 10Committee substitute printed 25107001D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 6Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 6Read first timeMinor
- Feb 6Placed on Calendar
- Feb 3Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 31Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Jan 31Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
- Jan 31Reading of substitute waived
- Jan 31Courts of Justice Substitute rejected
- Jan 31Read second timeMinor
- Jan 30Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 30Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A)
- Jan 30Rules suspended
- Jan 29Committee substitute printed 25106141D-S2Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 29Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A)Minor
- Jan 22Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1060)
- Jan 20Committee substitute printed 25105228D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 20Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Jan 7Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 7Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104442DIntroduced