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The House overwhelmingly approved a bill to regulate Indiana’s vaping industry, aiming to undo a monopoly created by existing law.
Indiana’s existing e-liquid law forced dozens of manufacturers to either leave the state or shut down, leaving only seven sanctioned companies.
A federal court ruling earlier this year struck down the bulk of existing regulations.
Lawmakers went back to the drawing board and emerged with a bill that imposes some regulations, including labeling requirements, a ban on selling online and requiring age verification for purchases.
Rep. Matt Lehman (R-Berne) says it also significantly scales back existing security requirements.
“I think this is a good foundational start. We got a little bit started a couple years ago – I think this makes the law a little tighter and a little better,” Lehman says.
Rep. Ron Bacon (R-Chandler), a respiratory therapist, was one of the few no votes on the bill for, he says, health reasons.
“So we really don’t know what these liquids are going to be doing to the human body,” Bacon says.
The House approved the bill 91 to 4, sending it back to the Senate.
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