News Releases

Head: Bill to Reform E-Liquid Manufacturing Passes Senate

STATEHOUSE (Feb. 28, 2017) – A bill authored by State Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport) that would reform the regulations for e-liquid manufacturers passed the Senate today by a vote of 49-1.

E-liquids are the fluids used in e-cigarettes that create the vapor. Under current Indiana code, e-liquid manufacturers had to receive a certification from a private security firm by June 30, 2016 that met stringent security standards in order to continue to manufacture the product.

Senate Bill 1 seeks to lessen the requirements that e-liquid manufacturers have to meet in order to sell their product.

Head said the current regulations created an unintentional monopoly that put licensing in the hands of a single private company, rather than in the hands of the state.

“When Indiana first passed regulations on e-liquids, the federal regulations that now exist were not in place,” Head said. “I think the legislature intended to ensure consumer safety with the original laws, but it’s clear that the regulation went too far and put some small manufacturers out of business. That’s not how government regulations ought to work.”

SB 1 removes many of the requirements previously put in place by the state, and instead requires manufacturers to comply with federal laws. Under the bill, the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC) would approve e-liquids manufacturing permits. In addition, any e-liquids produced by an ATC-approved manufacturer prior to July 1, 2017 may be distributed and sold for retail until the expiration date of the e-liquids. SB 1 also specifies that an e-liquid is a substance that contains nicotine.

“To be clear, this bill wouldn’t jeopardize consumer safety,” Head said. “It would, however, ensure manufacturers are complying with the federal standards while removing unnecessary regulatory measures currently in place. Issuing permits is a function of state government, and the state ought to do it, rather than having a single private company dole out permits.”

For more information on SB 1, click here.

-30-

A high-resolution photo of Head can be found here.

Contact: Molly Swigart, Press Secretary
molly.swigart@iga.in.gov
317.232.9498