| 1 | 1 | | 88R8311 KKR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.B. No. 1872 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the prohibited sale of certain flavored e-cigarettes; |
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| 8 | 8 | | providing a civil penalty. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | by adding Subchapter I to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER I. FLAVORED E-CIGARETTES |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 161.095. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, |
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| 14 | 14 | | "e-cigarette" has the meaning assigned by Section 161.081. |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 161.096. PROHIBITED SALE OF CERTAIN FLAVORED |
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| 16 | 16 | | E-CIGARETTES. (a) A person may not sell, give, or cause to be sold |
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| 17 | 17 | | or given an e-cigarette with a distinguishable taste or aroma other |
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| 18 | 18 | | than the taste or aroma of tobacco or menthol, including the aroma |
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| 19 | 19 | | or taste of: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) an alcoholic beverage; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) candy or dessert; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) chocolate, cocoa, or vanilla; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (4) fruit; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (5) an herb or spice; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (6) honey; or |
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| 26 | 26 | | (7) mint or wintergreen. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (b) There is a rebuttable presumption that an e-cigarette |
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| 28 | 28 | | has a distinguishable taste or aroma prohibited under Subsection |
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| 29 | 29 | | (a) if a person: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) makes a public statement or claim that the |
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| 31 | 31 | | e-cigarette imparts a taste or smell other than the taste or smell |
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| 32 | 32 | | of tobacco or menthol; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (2) uses text or images on the labeling or packaging of |
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| 34 | 34 | | the e-cigarette to indicate the e-cigarette imparts a taste or |
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| 35 | 35 | | smell other than the taste or smell of tobacco or menthol; or |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) takes other action directed at consumers that |
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| 37 | 37 | | would reasonably be expected to cause consumers to believe the |
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| 38 | 38 | | e-cigarette imparts a taste or smell other than the taste or smell |
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| 39 | 39 | | of tobacco or menthol. |
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| 40 | 40 | | Sec. 161.097. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A person who violates |
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| 41 | 41 | | Section 161.096 is liable to this state for a civil penalty of $250 |
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| 42 | 42 | | for each violation. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (b) The attorney general may sue to collect the penalty. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (c) The attorney general shall file an action under this |
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| 45 | 45 | | section in a district court in Travis County or the county in which |
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| 46 | 46 | | the violation occurred. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (d) The attorney general may recover reasonable expenses |
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| 48 | 48 | | incurred in obtaining a civil penalty under this section, including |
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| 49 | 49 | | court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, investigative costs, |
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| 50 | 50 | | witness fees, and deposition expenses. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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