03/18/2020 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

         HB 174-MIN. AGE TO POSSESS NICOTINE/ECIG PRODUCT                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:27:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 174, "An Act  raising the minimum age to purchase,                                                               
sell, exchange,  or possess a  product containing nicotine  or an                                                               
electronic  smoking  product;  and  providing  for  an  effective                                                               
date."  [Before the committee was CSHB 174(CRA).]                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:27:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GARY KNOPP,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor, introduced HB 174.  He  stated that in the past year the                                                               
federal   government  had   raised  [the   age  requirement   for                                                               
purchasing  tobacco  and  products  containing  nicotine]  to  21                                                               
years,  from  18 or  19  years  of age.    He  remarked that  the                                                               
proposed  legislation would  simply raise  the age  in Alaska  to                                                               
bring  Alaska's statute  into compliance  with  what the  federal                                                               
government has  done.  He explained  that the reason for  this is                                                               
because,  if  left as  is,  there  would  be discrepancies:    If                                                               
someone  sold to  individuals under  21 years  of age,  then only                                                               
federal penalties  would apply; but  if sold to someone  under 19                                                               
years of  age, then state  penalties would  apply.  He  said that                                                               
there is  an ambiguity between  the ages  as to which  laws would                                                               
apply, and  the state  penalties are  slightly harsher  than what                                                               
the  federal guidelines  are.   He summarized  that the  proposed                                                               
legislation  would bring  Alaska into  compliance by  raising the                                                               
age to 21; it would change nothing else.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:29:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LEDOUX  asked why  it  is  so important  to  have                                                               
Alaska's  tobacco laws  in compliance,  when there  are marijuana                                                               
laws that  are clearly not  in compliance with federal  laws, and                                                               
she said, "We seem to be living through that."                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP answered that it  is "apples to oranges," as                                                               
the  federal  government does  not  regulate  or allow  marijuana                                                               
whatsoever.   He said  that age  limits for  the sale  of tobacco                                                               
products exist in  state and federal law, and it  is important to                                                               
avoid  a  conflict  between  law  enforcement  and  the  judicial                                                               
system,  as it  "keeps it  clean."   He  stated that  "important"                                                               
would be  a matter of opinion  for some people, and  he thinks it                                                               
is  important  in  the  judiciary process  penalty  phase  to  be                                                               
consistent in what is adopted.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LEDOUX commented  that  this is  a difference  of                                                               
opinion.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:30:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KERRY  CROCKER, Staff,  Representative Gary  Knopp, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, presented  HB 174 on  behalf of  Representative Gary                                                               
Knopp,  prime   sponsor.    He   stated  that  he   could  answer                                                               
Representative Ledoux's question more  extensively.  He said that                                                               
one of  the important parts  of the proposed legislation  is that                                                               
there is approximately $2.8 million  dollars of federal substance                                                               
abuse grant  money tied to  the age change.   He said that  it is                                                               
important for  the state  to realize  that down  the road,  if it                                                               
doesn't change  the age, there will  be a risk of  losing some of                                                               
those federal substance abuse grants.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. CROCKER stated  that HB 174 would change  Alaska's statute to                                                               
match  the recently  implemented federal  guidelines for  sale of                                                               
tobacco products,  would raise the legal  age from 19 to  21, and                                                               
would end discrepancies  in both statute and  enforcement in both                                                               
state  and  federal  laws.     He  said  that  according  to  the                                                               
Department of  Health and Social  Services (DHSS),  smoking costs                                                               
Alaska around $575  million in direct medical  expenses and kills                                                               
around  700  people annually.    He  stated  that the  deaths  of                                                               
Alaskans from smoking costs the  state approximately $261 million                                                               
annually in lost productivity, and  according to the Alaska Youth                                                               
Survey, 12  percent of male youth  and 9 percent of  female youth                                                               
use  tobacco products.   He  explained  that the  use of  tobacco                                                               
products  becomes  more prevalent  the  higher  the grade  level,                                                               
starting around 6  percent in Ninth Grade, and  getting to around                                                               
16 percent  in Twelfth Grade.   He  stated that this  increase in                                                               
the  number of  youth  tobacco users,  between  the freshmen  and                                                               
senior years, highlights how access  to tobacco products leads to                                                               
tobacco use, and by raising the  legal age of tobacco use from 19                                                               
to 21, access would be further  removed.  He said that 89 percent                                                               
of  students who  smoke get  tobacco products  from a  peer.   He                                                               
summarized  that  it  is  important  to  match  Alaska's  smoking                                                               
statutes with  federal guidelines,  in order  to allow  state law                                                               
enforcement personnel to prevent  sales to underage consumers and                                                               
enforce [penalties for noncompliance].   He indicated that is the                                                               
intent of CSHB 174(CRA).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:33:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES remarked that she  has heard that there are                                                               
a  lot of  hours  wasted  by employees  who  smoke during  office                                                               
hours, and  she asked  Mr. Crocker  whether he  had any  idea how                                                               
much time is expended by working smokers.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:34:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. CROCKER  replied that he  did not have that  information, but                                                               
he believes it exists.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES remarked  that it does, and  said, "You can                                                               
watch it here."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:34:27 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOPP  asked  Representative Knopp  whether  there                                                               
would  be  any  change  to  the penalties  or  only  to  the  age                                                               
eligibility.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:34:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP replied that  he appreciated the question as                                                               
it  was a  point he  wanted to  make.   He said  that his  office                                                               
looked  hard at  the penalty  to see  whether there  was anything                                                               
that  should be  changed, and  it was  determined that  it should                                                               
stay  the same.   He  explained that  the penalties  were adopted                                                               
over many years, by many  legislators and lawmakers; they seem to                                                               
be appropriate and are that to  which the public and industry are                                                               
accustomed.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:35:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  remarked that she had  heard Mr. Crocker                                                               
say that  smoking costs the  state $261 million annually  in lost                                                               
productivity, but that  information appears to be  related to the                                                               
deaths of  Alaskans, whom  she said  she assumes  were productive                                                               
people prior to their deaths, "even  though they may have spent a                                                               
lot of time  leaving the building to smoke."   She commented that                                                               
the states and  the federal government coordinated  the age level                                                               
for liquor consumption 40 or 50  years ago in relation to highway                                                               
safety maintenance and  construction funds.  She said  that it is                                                               
about  time for  that change  with tobacco  and thanked  the bill                                                               
sponsor for bringing the proposed legislation forward.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:36:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LEDOUX  asked  whether the  proposed  legislation                                                               
would prevent  someone under the  age of 21 from  selling tobacco                                                               
as well.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:36:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP confirmed that was correct.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX  asked whether there  would be any  kind of                                                               
grandfather clause, as  there are a lot of "kids  who are working                                                               
in, you  know, one-person  quick-stops and  so forth,  so they're                                                               
all going to get fired?"                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP  answered no, they would  retain their jobs,                                                               
and just like the restaurant  business where wait staff can bring                                                               
water and food  but there needs to be someone  over the legal age                                                               
to bring alcoholic beverages, the  same would apply where tobacco                                                               
products are sold.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX  remarked that sometimes there  is only one                                                               
person working at  these stores and asked how  these people would                                                               
be taken care of if they lose their jobs.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP replied  that no one would  lose their jobs,                                                               
but during that  period there would be no tobacco  sales by under                                                               
aged individuals.   He said that  store owners are aware  of this                                                               
and would need to make provisions accordingly.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:37:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  remarked that  the proposed  legislation has                                                               
an effective date  of January 1, 2021, and he  asked whether this                                                               
was to  provide time  for public  education regarding  the change                                                               
under the proposed legislation.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:37:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. CROCKER  answered that  this would allow  the public  time to                                                               
deal with the question raised  by Representative LeDoux and allow                                                               
for time to adjust to the change under the new statute.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:38:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN opened public testimony on HB 174.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:38:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JON  BERRIER,   Senior  Director,  Public  Affairs,   Juul  Labs,                                                               
testified in  support of HB  174.  He  stated that Juul  Labs had                                                               
submitted written testimony  for the record in  strong support of                                                               
the  proposed  legislation  to   increase  the  minimum  age  for                                                               
purchase of  tobacco and vapor products  to 21, in line  with the                                                               
recent  federal  law  passed  by   Congress  and  signed  by  the                                                               
President  [hard copy  included  in the  committee  packet.]   He                                                               
reiterated Juul Labs' support for  HB 174 and urged the committee                                                               
and legislature  to pass a  clean "tobacco  21 bill."   He stated                                                               
that Juul  Labs is a  leading manufacturer of vaping  products as                                                               
an alternative to combustible cigarettes.   He said that progress                                                               
in reducing  youth use  of these products  will depend  on states                                                               
ensuring that underage sales are  halted, and for the new federal                                                               
law to work  appropriately, states should still  pass and enforce                                                               
laws to  ensure that  retailers sell  only to  those aged  21 and                                                               
over.   He  opined this  is  the right  policy to  pass, and,  as                                                               
incentive, reminded the  committee that states that  do not adopt                                                               
strategies to  enforce retailers selling to  underage individuals                                                               
risk losing  a portion of  their federal block grant  funding for                                                               
substance abuse.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BERRIER  stated  that  the   mission  at  Juul  Labs  is  to                                                               
transition  the  world's  one billion  adult  smokers  away  from                                                               
combustible  cigarettes,  and  it   pursues  this  mission  while                                                               
actively combatting underage  use of its products.   He said that                                                               
Juul Labs  believes that  raising the minimum  age is  a critical                                                               
step  in combatting  underage use  of  cigarettes, other  tobacco                                                               
products,  and vapor  products.   He pointed  out that  nearly 94                                                               
percent  of   smokers  started   before  the   age  of   21,  and                                                               
approximately 80 percent of underage  users access vapor products                                                               
through  social sourcing,  which  is attaining  vapor or  tobacco                                                               
products from legal age adults, usually  a friend or sibling.  He                                                               
stated that underage  use is antithetical to  Juul Labs' mission,                                                               
and it has taken definitive  actions in restricting it, including                                                               
voluntarily  discontinuing some  of its  flavored products  other                                                               
than  tobacco and  menthol, restricting  sales on  its e-commerce                                                               
platform  through industry  leading age  verification technology,                                                               
suspending  all advertising  and  promotion  of products  through                                                               
broadcast media,  print, and digital channels,  and instituting a                                                               
three-strikes  policy as  part of  its secret-shopper  program to                                                               
prohibit  retailers from  selling Juul  products for  at least  a                                                               
year if they incur three violations.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. BERRIER summarized  that he thinks Juul Labs  shares a common                                                               
goal with  everyone that is  in the policy maker,  regulator, and                                                               
parent realm,  in that it  wants to  prevent the underage  use of                                                               
these  products;  therefore,  Juul Labs  respectfully  urges  the                                                               
committee and the  Alaska State Legislature to pass HB  174, as a                                                               
clean tobacco 21 bill.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:41:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ALEX MCDONALD testified in opposition to  HB 174.  He stated that                                                               
young  adults are  currently taking  a huge  hit in  Alaska.   He                                                               
explained that college  students were ordered out  of their dorms                                                               
without an option of  a place to live and no  word on refunds for                                                               
meal plans  or housing, and  he said that  a lot of  the students                                                               
will be  without jobs with  the restaurant closures;  he remarked                                                               
that he  had worked as  a cook through  college.  He  stated that                                                               
half of  the troops  currently in Iraq  are from  Fort Wainwright                                                               
and questioned  whether their stay  over there might  be extended                                                               
due to the new travel bans.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. MCDONALD expressed  that these young adults  are fighting for                                                               
this country,  and the legislature should  be hearing legislation                                                               
on how  to help them,  instead of restricting their  freedoms and                                                               
job opportunities  during this time.   He asked what  store would                                                               
hire a  20-year-old that could  not perform  all the duties  at a                                                               
gas station.   He expressed that there are "bigger  fish to fry,"                                                               
and  said that  Idaho had  just voted  down similar  legislation,                                                               
stating that  there are many  dangerous things in life,  with war                                                               
being one of  them.  He said  that it is not  questioned when 18-                                                               
to 20-year-olds are sent to  war and asked to maintain aircrafts,                                                               
machinery, and weapons.   He expressed that these  are adults who                                                               
should  be allowed  to make  adult choices.   He  asked that  the                                                               
legislature  please stay  focused  on the  issues that  currently                                                               
face the state, and he said  that the proposed legislation is not                                                               
a major issue.   He pointed out that people would  soon be out of                                                               
jobs,  tourism would  be taking  a hit,  and ConocoPhillips  just                                                               
announced curtailing  activities on  the North  Slope.   He added                                                               
that businesses are  facing uncertainty as to  whether they would                                                               
be  able to  open tomorrow,  and Alaskans  need reassurance  that                                                               
things  are going  to continue  as  normal.   He summarized  that                                                               
restricting peoples' freedoms in a  time like this was backwards,                                                               
and he said that people should be able to live their lives.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:44:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHAUN  D'SYLVA,  Business Owner,  Fat  Boy  Vapors, testified  in                                                               
support of  HB 174.   He  stated that he  has adult  vapor stores                                                               
located in Fairbanks,  Anchorage, and Wasilla.  He  said that the                                                               
federal age was changed recently,  and many states are working on                                                               
legislation to  move that forward.   He remarked that  as someone                                                               
who has been on the frontlines  of helping adults stop smoking by                                                               
using  vapor products,  he is  concerned about  youth access  and                                                               
said that many underage users  have been getting products through                                                               
social  circles, including  friends and  family of  legal age  to                                                               
purchase, which  in Alaska  is 19  years old.   He said  that his                                                               
business  is very  supportive of  switching  that age  to 21,  to                                                               
ensure that youth do not have  easy access and to not create more                                                               
of a  problem in  the future.   He expressed  that as  a business                                                               
owner  in  Alaska,  who  has many  customers  that  have  stopped                                                               
smoking, who had begun  prior to the age of 21,  some as young as                                                               
12 or  13 years old,  he thinks that  this would be  a tremendous                                                               
step in ensuring that there are  not underage users.  He strongly                                                               
encouraged passage of HB 174.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:46:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARGE STONEKING,  Executive Director, American  Lung Association,                                                               
testified in  support of  HB 174.   She  expressed thanks  to the                                                               
committee  for   continuing  to  serve  Alaskans   while  keeping                                                               
themselves and  the public safe through  public health practices.                                                               
She  stated that  Alaska is  facing a  current youth  e-cigarette                                                               
epidemic,  as is  the nation,  which was  identified by  the U.S.                                                               
Surgeon General and the U.S.  Food and Drug Administration (FDA).                                                               
She said that raising the minimum  age for tobacco products to 21                                                               
can  help save  lives and  [prevent] economic  damages caused  by                                                               
tobacco use  in Alaska.   She stated  that youths  are especially                                                               
vulnerable  to   the  impacts   of  vaping,   including  nicotine                                                               
addiction,  dangers  to  developing  lungs  by  inhaling  harmful                                                               
ultra-fine particles,  heavy metals  and chemicals,  and negative                                                               
brain  development impacts  of nicotine.   She  said that  HB 174                                                               
offers one  strategy to safeguard  lung health by  increasing the                                                               
state's  tobacco use  age.   She  stated that  the American  Lung                                                               
Association urges support of HB 174.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  STONEKING  stated  that when  President  Trump  signed  "the                                                               
spending bill" on  December 20, 2019, which  included raising the                                                               
legal age of  purchase of tobacco products nationwide  from 18 to                                                               
21, this  was a major  accomplishment for public health,  and the                                                               
American Lung  Association and its  other public  health partners                                                               
cheered  this on.    She said  that  at that  time,  the FDA  had                                                               
announced  that  "tobacco  21" took  effect  when  the  President                                                               
signed the  bill.  She  said there were no  exemptions, including                                                               
for military personnel  anywhere in the U.S. or  on tribal lands.                                                               
She stated  that enforcement  is handled  primarily at  the state                                                               
level, particularly in  Alaska.  She said that in  2013 state law                                                               
was strengthened  and Alaska has  maintained compliance  with the                                                               
requirement  that  keeps  it  in  compliance  for  mental  health                                                               
funding; in  fact, it  has exceeded the  requirement with  only 5                                                               
percent  of endorsement  license holders  not passing  compliance                                                               
checks.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. STONEKING  summarized that  the underage  enforcement program                                                               
works effectively, and the age needs  to be updated from 19 to 21                                                               
to reflect the new federal law.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:48:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DRUMMOND remarked  that she  was unclear  on what                                                               
the Synar Amendment is.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. STONEKING replied that the  Synar Amendment was named after a                                                               
former member of Congress, and  it is the mandate for maintaining                                                               
a certain  level of compliance  with federal checks, in  order to                                                               
maintain  critical  federal  mental health  and  substance  abuse                                                               
grant funds, as mentioned previously.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:49:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EMILY  NENON,  Alaska  Government  Relations  Director,  American                                                               
Cancer Society Cancer Action Network,  testified in support of HB
.   She expressed  gratitude to Chair  Claman, members  of the                                                               
committee,  and   colleagues  and   staff  for   maintaining  and                                                               
continuing the  work of  the state  during some  very challenging                                                               
times.    She stated  that  the  American Cancer  Society  Cancer                                                               
Action Network supports the regulatory  update, in order to match                                                               
the federal regulation.  She expressed  that Alaska is proud of a                                                               
very  successful  compliance   check  program,  including  vendor                                                               
education.  She said that Joe  Darnell, who heads up that program                                                               
was  on  the  line  if  anyone wanted  more  details  about  that                                                               
program, and  she said that there  is a model program  across the                                                               
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:50:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN, after  ascertaining that there was no  one else who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony on CSHB 174(CRA).                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:50:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:51 p.m. to 1:52 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:52:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR CLAMAN  stated that while  off record a  brief conversation                                                               
took place  among the members of  the committee to see  if anyone                                                               
had any  amendments they were planning  to offer, and it  did not                                                               
appear that  there were  any.   He stated that  as chair,  he was                                                               
exercising  his authority  to waive  the second  hearing of  CSHB
(CRA), and he invited committee comment.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:52:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX  remarked that this  is a society  in which                                                               
18- and  19-year-olds can  go to war,  get married  and divorced,                                                               
can  probably take  flying lessons  and skydive,  be part  of the                                                               
commercial  fishing industry  - which  she said  is probably  the                                                               
most  dangerous industry  in the  world  - join  circuses on  the                                                               
trapeze, horseback ride, and all  sorts of things.  She expressed                                                               
that the  idea that  the laws  need to change  to conform  to the                                                               
federal regulation, with which she  disagrees, while the state is                                                               
not concerned with having laws  in sync to the federal government                                                               
regarding marijuana,  is hard  for her to  understand.   She said                                                               
she  thinks much  of the  testimony  on CSHB  174(CRA) came  from                                                               
individuals who would  really like to say that there  should be a                                                               
law that no one can smoke at all,  whether they be 19 or 91.  She                                                               
remarked, "As  I say,  I can  count, so you're  going to  do what                                                               
you're going to do."                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:54:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOPP  commented  that  he  appreciated  the  bill                                                               
sponsor bringing the proposed legislation  forward and noted that                                                               
"this body  unanimously passed  a joint  resolution in  2018 with                                                               
the  Senate,  calling on  Congress  to  align federal  and  state                                                               
penalties,  with respect  to marijuana  use."   He  said that  he                                                               
thinks this gets  at what the bill sponsor was  driving at, which                                                               
is that  enforcement is a  real issue.   He said that  a licensed                                                               
premise,  selling both  cigarettes  and alcohol,  could run  into                                                               
issues in  the enforcement of  checking licenses  for individuals                                                               
buying products, when the minimum age  for alcohol is 21, and the                                                               
minimum age for cigarettes is  19.  Sometimes staff make mistakes                                                               
when  checking  identification  all day,  and  uniformity  always                                                               
makes enforcement easier.  He expressed that he thinks an under-                                                                
21 general standard would be a good policy.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE    KOPP,   referencing    a   comment    made   by                                                               
Representative  LeDoux, stated  that he  was very  sympathetic to                                                               
impingement on freedoms,  but the one thing  different from other                                                               
risk-taking  activities   that  is  addressed  by   the  proposed                                                               
legislation,  is the  public  health  crisis surrounding  tobacco                                                               
use.   He  explained that  over  700 Alaskans  die annually  from                                                               
smoking related deaths, which costs  the state over $500 million.                                                               
He said  that the data points  in the statewide smoking  ban bill                                                               
from a  few years prior  sound accurate to  him.  He  stated that                                                               
there are many behaviors of risktakers  where the risk is only to                                                               
them;  however,  smoking  is a  behavior  that  affects  everyone                                                               
around them.  He expressed that  no right or freedom is absolute,                                                               
and  this is  a right  that directly  impinges on  other people's                                                               
quality  of health,  and in  light of  the current  public health                                                               
crisis, he said  that he sees the proposed legislation  as an on-                                                               
point public  health bill that  the industry  supports, including                                                               
the people  selling vapes.   He  said that  overall he  thinks it                                                               
would be a  good policy, and he thanked  Representative Knopp for                                                               
bringing it forward.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:57:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  reiterated that  she thinks it  is about                                                               
time the  state got coordinated,  as liquor laws were  brought to                                                               
the same  age limits across the  nation decades ago.   She stated                                                               
that tobacco and vaping products  contain highly addictive drugs,                                                               
as well as  highly damaging components, which she  said she knows                                                               
will  contribute to  illness  in  many people  as  "this wave  of                                                               
Coronavirus hits  us."   She opined that  the earlier  the public                                                               
health  can  be  protected,  by  keeping  children  from  getting                                                               
addicted until they  are older and can make  these decisions with                                                               
a clear head, the better off everyone will be.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:58:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES  commented that she found  it refreshing to                                                               
see the  letter from Juul  Labs, which is  a provider of  some of                                                               
the  "smoking paraphernalia,"  support the  proposed legislation,                                                               
as usually the providers and  manufacturers are "screaming bloody                                                               
murder, don't  do it, don't  do it!"   She said that  this really                                                               
speaks volumes to  her, and she is delighted to  see support from                                                               
the industry for the proposed legislation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:59:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  CLAMAN   commented  that   he  appreciated   the  question                                                               
Representative  LeDoux raised  regarding  alcohol.   He  remarked                                                               
that when  he was in  college in Texas  many years ago,  beer and                                                               
liquor could be purchased  at the age of 18, and  when he went to                                                               
college in  Colorado "3.2 beer,"  which was 3.2  percent alcohol,                                                               
could  be  purchased  at  18,  but anything  else  could  not  be                                                               
purchased until 21.  He expressed that  he grew up in a time when                                                               
alcohol could be accessed  at the age of 18, and  he said that he                                                               
had friends and  colleagues who joined the military,  and the age                                                               
was raised  and people  could go  to war  but not  drink alcohol,                                                               
which he  expressed he always  thought was absurd at  some level;                                                               
however, he  said that he also  saw some of the  reasons that the                                                               
public liked the  change.  He stated that he  sees tobacco in the                                                               
same  light as  alcohol,  in  that they  are  both public  health                                                               
problems.   He  said  that  he thinks  a  good civil  Libertarian                                                               
argument  could be  made  that the  age should  be  the same  for                                                               
alcohol  and tobacco  sales, but  that  the damage  done by  both                                                               
products  as a  result of  not  restricting access  can be  seen;                                                               
therefore, he  said that he  leans more willingly  towards making                                                               
the limits than he  did when he was 18 or 19.   He expressed that                                                               
a  critical part  of the  issue  is that  Alaska has  significant                                                               
substance abuse  issues in its  communities, and by  changing the                                                               
age, it could allow for  accesses to additional federal funds for                                                               
rehabilitation  and treatment,  and he  said that  he has  a hard                                                               
time  not taking  steps that  would  support that,  which is  the                                                               
biggest factor in his support for the proposed legislation.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:01:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOPP  moved  to   report  CSHB  174(CRA)  out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.   There  being  no  objection, CSHB  174(CRA)  was                                                               
reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.