D.C. Law 21-189. Electronic Cigarette Parity Amendment Act of 2016.

AN ACT

To amend the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001 to ensure that the prohibition on smoking electronic smoking devices in restricted areas is in parity with that for traditional tobacco products.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Electronic Cigarette Parity Amendment Act of 2016".

Sec. 2. Section 4915 of the Department of Health Functions Clarification Act of 2001, effective April 4, 2006 (D.C. Law 16-90; D.C. Official Code § 7-741.01), is amended as follows:

(a) Redesignate paragraph (1) as paragraph (1A).

(b) A new paragraph (1) is added to read as follows:

"(1) "Electronic smoking device" means any product, including one composed of a heating element, battery, or electronic circuit, that contains or delivers nicotine or any other substance intended for human consumption that can be used by a person to simulate smoking through inhalation of vapor or aerosol from the product. The term "electronic smoking device" includes any such product, regardless of whether it is manufactured, distributed, marketed, or sold as an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, e-hookah, vape pen, or by any other product name or descriptor.".

(c) Paragraph (4) is amended to read as follows:

"(4) "Smoking" means the inhaling, exhaling, burning, or carrying of a lightedor heated cigar, cigarette, pipe, electronic smoking device, or any other tobacco or plant product intended for human consumption through inhalation, in any manner or in any form.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 4. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.

Law Information

Cites

  • D.C. Law 21-189 (PDF)
  • 63 DCR 14370

Effective

Feb. 18, 2017

Legislative History

Law 21-189, the “Electronic Cigarette Parity Amendment Act of 2016,” was introduced in the Council and assigned Bill No. 21-780 which was referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services. The bill was adopted on first and second readings on Oct. 11, 2016, and Nov. 1, 2016, respectively. After mayoral review, it was assigned Act No. 21-543 on Nov. 18, 2016, and transmitted to Congress for its review. D.C. Law 21-189 became effective Feb. 18, 2017.