HB 756 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO HEALTH.

Summary

Prohibits the sale of flavored nicotine products and nicotine product flavor enhancers and the mislabeling of e-liquids as nicotine free. Establishes penalties for violations. Authorizes the Department of Health to appoint, commission, or contract for services of inspectors. Establishes positions. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB756_HD1 → HB756_HD2 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands Hawaii's tobacco control laws by prohibiting the sale of all flavored nicotine products (including menthol) and nicotine product flavor enhancers, while also banning the mislabeling of e-liquids as nicotine-free. The legislation adds new definitions for flavored products, establishes enforcement mechanisms with inspectors, creates new state positions, and includes provisions for county-level restrictions that can be more stringent than state rules.

Scope change

The bill expands scope from general tobacco control to specifically target flavored nicotine products and flavor enhancers, including oral nicotine pouches and e-liquids, and adds provisions for local government enforcement authority.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or possession with intent to sell of all flavored nicotine products and nicotine product flavor enhancers, including products with menthol.

Bans mislabeling of e-liquid products as nicotine-free and prohibits marketing e-liquids with flavors other than tobacco.

DEFINITION

Creates new definitions for 'flavored nicotine product' (including taste/odor distinguishable from tobacco or cooling/numbing sensations) and 'nicotine product flavor enhancer'.

ENFORCEMENT

Establishes new state positions (FTE program specialist and hearings officer) and authorizes the Department of Health to appoint, commission, or contract inspectors for enforcement.

Establishes civil penalties of $100-$1,000 per violation for retailers who sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell prohibited products.

FISCAL

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to carry out the Act, including hiring necessary staff.

TIMELINE

Sets effective date for most provisions as July 1, 2025, with administrative rules due by June 30, 2026, and interim rules effective until January 1, 2032.

ELIGIBILITY

Allows counties to adopt rules placing greater restrictions on flavored nicotine products than state requirements, with more stringent local rules prevailing in conflicts.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to CPN/HHS, WAM/JDC.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 125).

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 12 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Holt, Lee, M., Alcos, Ward.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Kong voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from CPC/JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 553) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Takayama, Todd, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 5 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso.

lower

Feb 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 4 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 159) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC/JHA.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HLT, CPC/JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

14 primary · 0 co-sponsors