We're back for Day 32 of your Nebraska Legislature. Debate is continuing on LB840 from Sen. Dan Quick of Grand Island, which would bar electronic smoking devices from being used indoors, but affords some exemptions for vape stores.
Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne's amendment allowing vaping inside vape shops is now being debated. Sen. Andrew La Grone, hearkening back to Day 31, says lawmakers need to be careful about the definitions they insert into law.
There was some concern yesterday the language of Quick's bill criminalized inhalers or humidifiers. Obviously that's not the intent, Quick said.
He said his bill is aimed at protecting children.
Quick says the bill is to get parents and others who vape around children to "think about what they're doing," and hopefully stop before the kids can get hooked.
Wayne withdraws his amendment, offers another: This one removes the preemption language, and says people only 21 and older can go into vape shops. He indicates he'll likely withdraw this amendment before 1st round vote and come up with something before 2nd.
Sen. Julie Slama says the new amendment improves Quick's bill because the definitions are consistent with what was passed into state law last year.
She said yesterday's language "opened a Pandora's box" criminalizing vapor or aerosol products.
And we're running a delay offense to give Quick time to finish an amendment everyone can agree upon. Not sure how much time is left on debate for LB840 today, the final day of the legislative week.
"Sen. Hunt, you just asked me off the mic if we could chat," La Grone says.
Hunt jumps in and starts talking about ranked choice voting, which was a subject at yesterday's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
La Grone says he likes Nebraska's elections just the way they are, thinks elex commissioners do a great job, etc.
"I agree completely," Hunt says. She thinks its a topic worthy of discussion and thanks La Grone for always being opened minded.
La Grone abandons his conversation with Hunt, moves onto Sen. John Arch who was deep into reading a paper from the American Cancer Society.
Arch says the paper is about the harms of vaping. "I think we do have a problem with how we allow e-cigs to be used in public places."
Speaker Jim Scheer cuts in line for his annual scheduling talk. He says he's not sure of the schedule yet as the list of priority bills is reviewed and as committees wrap up this week.
Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte with a new track: Vaping is a big vehicle for marijuana use.
“The largest number of cases of death have been tied to THC,” he says.
Groene is against regulating vape shops, however.
“Nicotine is harmless aside from being addictive. Just like sugar and alcohol, substances that used moderately are harmless,” Groene says.
Groene says he’s been in the vaping stores in North Platte, adding: “I don’t vape, I’ve got too many bad habits already.”
Coincidentally, “Groene in the Vape Shoppe” is the title of my forthcoming one act play.
Sen. Ben Hansen says he'd rather let cities or counties set their own regulations for vape shops and indoor vaping. Less government regulation is the cry.
Running down enough clock, Quick says he's ready to move forward. There's an amendment ready that is clear about where vaping can take place indoors, but it could still need some tailoring, he says.
Announced: Seated in the north balcony are 15 members of Americans for Prosperity from all across the country.
Sen. Rob Clements said he doesn't like adding vaping to the clean indoor air act. He reads from a study (didn't catch where) that says secondhand exposure isn't harmful. Clements says he *would* support laws that penalize retailers who sell juuls to #teens.
Quick's floor amendment is adopted 34-1, with Sen. Steve Erdman opposed.
The bill advances 31-2, with Erdman and Clements against.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.