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OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5305
AN ACT CONCERNING TOBACCO BARS.
SUMMARY
This bill allows the establishment of additional tobacco bars to allow
smoking indoors, including the smoking of e-cigarettes. It also allows
tobacco bars to expand in size or change locations, which is prohibited
under current law.
Under current law, only tobacco bars with an alcoholic liquor
permit that generated 10% or more of their total annual gross income
from onsite tobacco product sales and onsite humidor rentals in (1)
2002 can allow smoking indoors and (2) 2015 can allow indoor vaping
of e-cigarettes. By law, “tobacco product” means any substance that
contains tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, or chewing
tobacco.
The bill allows additional tobacco bars that hold alcoholic liquor
permits and begin operating on or after October 1, 2021, to permit
smoking indoors or indoor vaping if they meet the following
requirements:
1. are located in a stand-alone building or, if connected to another
building, use their own heating, ventilation, or air conditioning
system to prevent co-mingling of air;
2. have a walk-in humidor on the premises; or
3. generate 51% or more of their total annual gross income in a
calendar year from onsite tobacco product sales and humidor
rentals.
Under the bill, tobacco bars that allow (1) smoking indoors cannot
be located within a five-mile radius of any existing tobacco bar and (2) 2021HB-05305-R000008-BA.DOCX
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indoor vaping cannot be located within a three-mile radius of any
existing tobacco bar, unless municipal zoning allows it.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2021
COMMITTEE ACTION
General Law Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 18 Nay 1 (02/16/2021)