Video & Transcript Research : 'cigars'

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MN
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Taxes Committee 3/6/25

Taxes

MN
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Taxes Committee 3/13/25

Taxes

AL
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Mar 19th, 2025

Ways and Means General Fund

AL
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Ways and Means General Fund Committee Mar 5th, 2025

Ways and Means General Fund

AL
AL

Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund Committee Apr 23rd, 2025

Finance and Taxation General Fund

KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on State & Local Government (3-5-25)

Transcript Highlights:
  • Um, cigar bars are not a new idea.
  • sale of cigars, pipe tobacco, cigar-related accessories, or the rental of humidors.
  • cigars cigars in<00:20:59.799> these<00:21:00.120> communities<00:21:00.960> it's
  • is it carves out an exception for cigar is it carves out an exception for cigar and<00:21:09.919
  • I went to their cigar bar during the holidays, and I was not expecting to be around cigar smoke, so I
Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:05 Attendance Roll Call: 00:17 HB 30 (Rep. Blanton): 01:12 HB 27 (Rep. Osborne: 05:22 HB 45 (Rep. Hodgson): 08:29 HB 211 (Rep. C. Lewis): 15:54 HB 441 (Rep. Tipton): 36:38 Adjournment: 41:20, 958, all
Summary: The Senate State and Local Government Committee met and first took up House Bill 30, which addresses pension spiking and retired state troopers returning to work. The sponsor and Kentucky Public Pensions Authority staff said the bill would codify court language clarifying that across-the-board raises from the General Assembly do not count as pension spiking, and the committee substitute would also give retired troopers rehired on a year-to-year basis the same vacation, sick leave, and bereavement benefits as new troopers. The committee adopted the substitute and a title amendment, and HB 30 passed 9-0. The committee then considered House Bill 27, which removes an arbitrary 2023 date from the Planned Communities Act that had created confusion over political signage rules in HOA and planned community phases. The sponsor said the change would preserve HOA authority to regulate sign size, duration, and placement while eliminating inconsistent treatment of neighboring properties. The bill passed 10-0. House Bill 45 followed, proposing to ban foreign funding in Kentucky elections and ballot measures and to require disclosure for express advocacy ads related to ballot measures. Supporters said the bill would put ballot measures on the same footing as candidate and PAC restrictions and prevent foreign nationals from influencing Kentucky elections; one senator raised concerns that the language could unintentionally chill participation by noncitizens, especially in one-on-one discussions, and the sponsor said he would work on that issue. The committee adopted the bill as amended, and it passed 8-1. The final major item was House Bill 211, which would create a narrow exemption allowing cigar bars under defined conditions, including a revenue threshold, age restrictions, ventilation requirements, and local permitting options. The sponsor said the bill would not roll back general smoke-free laws but would allow tightly regulated cigar bars and grandfather existing ones from some requirements. Public health witnesses, including a nurse, a physician, and a thoracic surgeon, opposed the bill, warning it would weaken strong smoke-free protections, harm workers and patrons, and reverse progress against tobacco-related disease. The transcript provided did not include a final vote on HB 211.
NV
NV

Nevada 2025 Regular Session

Senate Committee on Revenue and Economic Development May 31st, 2025 at 01:00 pm

Revenue and Economic Development

Transcript Highlights:
  • America and the Premium Cigar Coalition.
  • were on behalf of some of the cigar retailers.
  • But I, for one, happen to be a cigar smoker.
  • I see people in them all the time enjoying a premium cigar.
  • But cigar smokers every day—I've met some of the most fascinating people in cigar lounges.
Keywords: 909, all
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Legislative Session Day 19 (2-3-26)

Kentucky House Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • you don't want to be exposed to cigar you don't want to be exposed to cigar smoke<00:16:53.279><
  • In order to meet the as a cigar bar.
  • or cigar-related items.
  • to ban a cigar bar. to ban a cigar bar. >> Lady<00:21:46.880> F. >> Lady F.
  • So, cigar smoking is legal.
Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 04:18 Report of Committees 05:09 Orders of the Day 06:40 HB 169 06:50 HB 393 13:08 HB 194 15:43 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 24:38 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 35:23 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 38:09 ConC/Rules Report 40:57 Floor Amendments 42:04 Adjournment 42:20, 958, all
Summary: The House convened, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, recorded 95 members present, approved the prior journal, and received notice from the Senate that Senate Bills 1 and 3 had passed and were sent over for concurrence. Committee reports advanced a number of bills on housing, local purchasing, health care credentials, postsecondary education, school bus safety, special license plates, milk transportation, veteran PTSD treatment, and the Kentucky Fire Commission, with several reported with committee substitutes. The chamber then considered House Bill 169 on coverage for feeding or eating disorders. The sponsor explained that the bill addresses insurance coverage decisions tied to body mass index by requiring BMI to be considered alongside another factor, such as depression, anxiety, or family circumstances, and said the committee substitute clarified that one factor alone could not control the decision. The substitute was adopted, and the bill passed 95-0. House Bill 393, which updates the Alzheimer’s and related dementias council, adds a caregiver seat, and requires an annual action project including an early detection toolkit, also passed unanimously, 95-0. House Bill 194, relating to cigar bars, drew the most discussion. The sponsor said the bill does not repeal existing smoke-free ordinances, but creates a narrow exemption for tightly defined cigar bars, with a 25% gross revenue threshold from cigar-related sales, age restrictions, local permitting options, smoke containment requirements, and signage. Members asked about local authority, other tobacco products, and whether the bill could affect smoking bans; supporters emphasized the narrow scope and personal choice, while opponents said their districts’ smoking bans and constituent concerns led them to vote no. The bill passed 69-24. The House then applied the clincher and moved to announcements, including committee schedule notices, a Small Business Day event, receptions, and citations recognizing National School Counseling Week, the KBLC Black History Celebration, and memorializing Brandy Engles.
MA
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Revenue Jun 21st, 2026 at 01:00 pm

Joint Committee on Revenue

Transcript Highlights:
  • They're sending in your cigars. You can buy a cigar for almost cost on...
  • They're sending in your cigars.
  • Premium cigars are estimated to affect over 300 people to make one cigar, mostly from third world countries
  • , buying them in Connecticut, which has a premium cigar cap of 50 cents per cigar imported into the state
  • means to acquire the exact same cigar.
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The Joint Committee on Revenue held a long hybrid hearing on a wide range of tax bills, with testimony covering cigarette and tobacco taxes, nicotine pouches, contractor rental equipment exemptions, aircraft sales tax exemptions, rolling stock, advanced sales tax payments, a gun and ammunition excise tax, a digital services tax, and a psilocybin cultivation/tax proposal. Committee chairs outlined the hearing process and noted that 39 House-filed sales and excise tax bills were being heard for required reporting by November 28. No votes were taken during the hearing. On tobacco-related bills, supporters including Senator Keenan, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and Tobacco Free Mass backed higher cigarette taxes and closing the synthetic nicotine loophole, arguing the measures would reduce youth initiation, encourage cessation, and offset health care costs. Retailers, wholesalers, and convenience-store groups opposed the increases, warning of smuggling, out-of-state purchasing, and harm to small businesses; premium cigar representatives argued cigars should be treated separately from cigarettes. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3067 and related bills concerning nicotine pouches, with public health advocates supporting taxation and industry witnesses urging a lower, more competitive rate. Several other bills drew sharply divided testimony. United Rentals supported H. 3065 to simplify contractor rental equipment exemption paperwork, while airport and aviation groups opposed bills to repeal the aircraft sales tax exemption, saying it would hurt airport competitiveness and jobs. The Transportation Association of Massachusetts backed rolling stock tax exemptions, saying the current tax discourages fleet investment and interstate commerce. Restaurant industry representatives supported repealing advanced sales tax payments and changing penalty rules, saying businesses were hit with retroactive penalties after unclear pandemic-era changes. On H. 3082, an excise tax on guns and ammunition, gun violence prevention advocates, Roca, and Giffords supported the bill as a dedicated funding source for prevention and survivor services, while sportsmen’s groups opposed it as unfair to lawful gun owners and harmful to conservation funding. The committee also heard testimony on H. 3208, a digital advertising services tax, with Representative Paulino supporting it as a way to capture revenue from online advertising and fund public needs, while the Chamber of Progress opposed it as costly and burdensome for small businesses and campaigns. Finally, multiple witnesses testified on H. 4050 regarding psilocybin cultivation and taxation: advocates from Mass Healing, Roca, the Reason Foundation, and individuals describing personal medical benefits urged a regulated, permit-based system, while the hearing ended after all signed-up speakers were heard and the chair adjourned the meeting.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Health Committee Jun 23rd, 2026

Transcript Highlights:
  • Our fear is that defining a new cigar lounge, or coming up with a new definition of cigar lounge, has
  • the potential to proliferate not only cigar use, but cigar lounges throughout California.
  • to proliferate not only cigar use, but cigar lounges throughout California.
  • Well, on the cigar one, I was kind of excited about the definition in the cigars.
  • On the cigar one, I was kind of excited about the definition in the cigars.
Summary: The Assembly Health Committee heard a series of bills focused on behavioral health, cancer screening, provider reimbursement, research funding, workforce licensing, and tobacco regulation. SB 16 would require counties to maintain procedures for designating and training professionals authorized to perform 5150 evaluations and initiate involuntary holds; supporters said it would expand the pool of qualified clinicians and reduce reliance on law enforcement, while opponents raised concerns about local control and implementation. SB 1124 would require CDPH to create and post lung cancer screening eligibility signage at tobacco point-of-sale locations; supporters emphasized low screening awareness and early detection, and the bill was advanced with amendments. SB 28, a CARE Court cleanup bill, proposed an ombudsperson, reporting, electronic petitions, remote participation, and other changes to improve accountability and access; it drew both strong support and significant opposition over concerns about coercion, scope, and whether the program is working as intended, but it passed the committee as amended to Judiciary. The committee also heard SB 874, which would strengthen oversight of Medi-Cal behavioral health treatment services, including background checks for providers and a stakeholder workgroup to develop standards; it passed to Public Safety. SB 1049 would let providers resubmit corrected claims within 90 days after a plan’s denial or recoupment action when the original claim had a correctable technical defect; supporters described delayed and withheld payments harming practices, while insurers argued the bill could duplicate existing dispute processes. The bill passed to Appropriations on call. SB 1224 would create a state framework to compete for federal ARPA-H funding for emerging therapies research, with testimony from a UC Davis psychiatrist and veterans’ advocates supporting expanded research into treatments for PTSD, depression, and other conditions; it passed to Military and Veterans Affairs. Later, SB 1057 would change how the Department of Public Health evaluates conviction history for certified nurse assistants and home health aides, shifting from automatic denial toward individualized assessment based on the offense, time elapsed, and rehabilitation; it passed to Appropriations with some no votes. Finally, SB 1314, a tobacco-related bill, sought to create a 600-foot buffer around schools and day care centers for certain tobacco retailers and address related issues such as cigar lounge definitions and nitrous oxide sales; several local government and public safety groups supported it, while health organizations and business groups opposed it unless amended. The chair announced that committee amendments were being set aside for now and the bill would move forward to Business and Professions with a commitment to continue working on the language; it passed out of committee.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2025 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Local Government (2-11-25)

Transcript Highlights:
  • what it does not do. mine um who opened a cigar lounge mine um who opened a cigar lounge um<00:03:30.480
  • 15% of your annual gross income from the on-site sale of cigars, pipe tobacco, or cigar-related accessories
  • bar and allow the indoor smoking of cigars.
  • <00:04:38.360> bar to to consider themselves a cigar bar to to consider themselves a cigar
  • and allow the indoor smoking of cigars and allow the indoor smoking of cigars uh<00:04:42.080>
Keywords: Meeting Start 00:01 Roll Call 00:16 HB 211 Discussion 02:55 HB 211 Vote 16:30 HB 160 Discussion 18:50 HB 160 Vote 52:06 Adjournment 57:35, 958, all
Summary: The House Standing Committee on Local Government met for its first meeting of the year, established a quorum, and heard two bills. House Bill 211, sponsored by Representative Chris Lewis, would create a definition for cigar bars and allow indoor cigar smoking in qualifying establishments if they meet criteria such as deriving at least 15% of gross income from cigar-related sales, restricting entry to those 21 and older, prohibiting cigarettes and vaping, and requiring a smoke-free area for deliveries. Lewis and Louisville Metro Council member Anthony Pantini described the bill as a small-business and tourism measure modeled on Tennessee law, while the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and a St. Elizabeth physician opposed it, arguing it would undermine local smoke-free ordinances and expose patrons and workers to harmful secondhand smoke. Several members raised local-control concerns, and Lewis said he was open to local governments making decisions on less restrictive approaches. The committee adopted a committee substitute and then approved HB 211 on a roll call vote, with multiple members voting yes and several no votes, sending the bill forward as amended. The committee then heard House Bill 160 from Representative Susan Whitten, with Logan Haynes of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute. They said Kentucky faces a housing shortage of roughly 200,000 units and that starter homes are increasingly unaffordable, making manufactured housing an important part of the solution. Whitten said the bill would treat manufactured housing more like site-built housing while still allowing local governments to enforce cosmetic standards such as roof pitch, exterior facade, and foundation material, and she emphasized that HOA, deed, and historical preservation restrictions would remain in place. Haynes argued that modern manufactured homes are federally and state inspected, more energy efficient, faster to build, and more affordable than site-built homes, and he said the bill would not open the door to older-style mobile homes or single-wides except in limited narrow-lot situations. Representatives from the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties expressed concerns about the bill’s current language, saying land-use decisions should remain local and warning that the definition of qualified manufactured home and the bill’s treatment of local standards could have unintended consequences. They said they appreciated Whitten’s willingness to work with them and indicated they hoped to continue negotiating amendments as the bill moved forward. No vote on HB 160 was taken during the portion of the meeting provided.
CA
CA

California 2025-2026 Regular Session

Assembly Health Committee Jun 23rd, 2026

Health

Transcript Highlights:
  • And then also, for defining cigar lounges, we already regulate cigar lounges through the private smokers
  • not only cigar use, but cigar lounges throughout California.
  • So, again, we were prepared to support this bill... ...the cigar lounge.
  • Well, on the cigar one, I was kind of excited about the definition in the cigars.
  • I personally don't think cigar lounges are there.
Keywords: 988, house, all
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Local Government. (1-28-26)

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • We've got cigars, chickens, landfills, libraries, and fluoride. So, little something for everyone.
  • > landfills, We've got cigars, chickens, landfills, We've got cigars, chickens, landfills, libraries
  • is very tightly defined as a cigar bar.
  • <00:08:48.640> a<00:08:48.800> cigar<00:08:49.200> bar.
  • In order to meet defined as a cigar bar.
Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:10 Roll Call 00:00:24 HB 108 Discussion 00:03:45 HB 108 Vote 00:05:15 HB 194 Discussion 00:07:13 HB 194 Vote 00:09:45 HB 276 Discussion 00:11:53 HB 276 Vote 00:13:35 HB 290 Discussion 00:15:32 HB 290 Vote 00:18:29 HB 103 Discussion 00:20:31 HB 103 Vote 00:46:59 Adjournment 00:50:36, 958, all
Summary: The committee met for its first meeting of the session and took up several local government bills, beginning with House Bill 108 on residual waste landfills. The bill would keep current rules in place when a landfill and the related company are in the same county, but would make projects subject to local determination when the landfill and industry are in different counties. The sponsor said it only affects residual waste landfills, not solid waste landfills. There was no opposition, and the bill passed with favorable expression by a 13-aye, 2-pass vote. The committee then approved House Bill 194, as amended by a committee substitute that changed a sales threshold from 15% to 25%. The bill creates a narrow exemption allowing cigar smoking inside tightly defined cigar bars, while not changing smoke-free laws for other public places. One member explained a no vote as a local control concern, but the bill passed with favorable expression. House Bill 276, which would authorize backyard chickens and prevent local governments from banning fewer than six chickens while still allowing setback rules, also passed with favorable expression. Supporters said it would not affect homeowners associations or commercial use, while one member opposed it as a local control issue. House Bill 290, dealing with county law libraries, passed unanimously with favorable expression. The sponsor said the bill would let local bar associations use their own funds for online legal research and computers instead of only books, noting that many law libraries are underused because legal research is now mostly online and that the libraries remain open to the public. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 103 on fluoride in public water systems after adopting a committee substitute that clarified an immunity clause for water districts. Sponsors said the bill would make fluoridation a local decision rather than a state mandate and argued that newer research raises health concerns, while opponents from the dental community and Kentucky Voices for Health testified that community water fluoridation is safe, cost-effective, and important for preventing cavities, especially for low-income and Medicaid populations. The transcript cuts off during the opposition testimony, before any final committee vote on HB 103.
MA
MA

Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Transcript Highlights:
  • Looking also staying virtual to the end, Glenn Lope from the Premium Cigar Association. Mr.
  • As the national trade association for retailers, tobacco manufacturers, and consumers of premium cigars
  • studies have clearly demonstrated the lack of adverse public health impact with regard to premium cigars
  • studies have clearly demonstrated the lack of adverse public health impact with regard to premium cigars
  • verify a person's age, whether they are entering a casino, gaming, buying a beer, or purchasing a cigar
Keywords: 995, all
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several bills, with the longest discussion focused on House Bill 426 and Senate Bill 263, which would prohibit the sale in Massachusetts of cosmetics known to rely on vertebrate animal testing. Supporters from Animal Defenders International, Humane World for Animals, and the Animal Rescue League said animal testing is cruel, outdated, and unreliable, and pointed to non-animal alternatives and similar laws in other states and countries. No opposition was heard on that bill during the excerpt, and witnesses urged the committee to report it favorably. The committee also took testimony on House Bill 4543, which would clarify an existing pipe-fitting exemption for certain work performed on property owned by industrial plants, utilities, colleges, and similar institutions. A representative for Construction Industries of Massachusetts supported the bill, saying it would preserve longstanding practice for outside contractors doing yard piping work. Pipefitters Local 537 opposed it, arguing the work is properly licensed pipefitting and that the bill would weaken licensing standards and undermine state inspectors. Another major topic was Senate Bill 237 on regulating self-checkouts in grocery establishments. The Mass AFL-CIO and UFCW Local 1445 supported the bill, saying self-checkout has reduced staffing, increased worker stress and customer conflict, and contributed to theft and safety problems. Workers described being responsible for multiple machines at once, verbal abuse, and even assaults, and said the bill’s staffing and machine limits would improve safety and customer service. The committee also heard extensive testimony on House Bill 355, which would allow veterinarians to establish a client-patient relationship via telehealth; ASPCA, MSPCA, and several veterinarians supported it as a way to expand access to care, while the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association and several veterinarians opposed it, arguing that an in-person exam is essential for proper diagnosis and that telemedicine should only follow an in-person VCPR. Finally, the committee heard testimony on House Bill 330, Senate Bill 221, and House Bill 371, which would preempt local boards of health from adopting tobacco-related age or sales restrictions beyond the statewide standard. Public health advocates opposed the bills, arguing they would block local innovation and undermine nicotine-free generation policies adopted by municipalities, while retailers and tobacco trade groups supported them as necessary to preserve a uniform statewide age-21 standard and avoid confusion for consumers and businesses. No votes or final actions were taken during the excerpt.
MD
MD

Maryland 2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session, 3/23/2026 #3

Maryland Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • beverage license, Maryland Premium Cigar Lounge Act of 2026.
  • <00:12:40.360> lounge<00:12:40.680> alcoholic of a premium cigar lounge alcoholic of
  • a premium cigar lounge alcoholic beverage<00:12:41.360> license,<00:12:42.080> Maryland
  • ><00:12:42.400> Premium<00:12:42.880> Cigar beverage license, Maryland Premium Cigar beverage
  • license, Maryland Premium Cigar Lounge<00:12:43.960> Act<00:12:44.360> of<00:12:44.600
Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all
Summary: The Maryland Senate reconvened with a quorum and took up Budget and Taxation matters first. The chamber considered Senate Bill 283, the Maryland Consolidated Capital Bond Loan of 2026, with the capital budget subcommittee chair describing a $5.7 billion capital program focused on jobs, reliability, and infrastructure, including funding for transportation, state facilities, local projects, and legislative bond initiatives. The committee report and reprint were explained, and the bill with its 291 committee amendments was special ordered until the next day for further amendment work. The Senate then adopted the favorable committee report for Senate Bill 769, the University System of Maryland Academic Facilities Bonding Authority, and ordered it printed for third reading. On the third reading calendar, the Senate passed Senate Bills 84, 618, 932, 148, 202, and 623 by constitutional majorities. SB 84 concerned collective bargaining for graduate assistants; SB 618 addressed a public ethics exemption for General Assembly members and certain state and local employees; SB 932 dealt with social media platforms displaying user location; SB 148 created an income tax subtraction modification for public safety employee retirement income supporting 911 specialists; SB 202 reinstated an order-to-show-cause process in police discipline, which drew floor opposition from a senator who argued it would revive an unnecessary exception to the streamlined police accountability process; and SB 623 created the Maryland Premium Cigar Lounge Act of 2026. The Senate also handled Senate Bill 463, a second-reading bill on municipal vagrancy and local authority to prohibit it, which the committee chair moved to special order for the following Tuesday without objection. The session concluded with announcements about caucus meetings, a quorum call, and adjournment until Tuesday, March 24 at 11:00 a.m., along with thanks to the secretary’s office, DLS staff, and pages for their work.
KY
KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue (3-10-26) - Reupload

Appropriations & Revenue

Transcript Highlights:
  • It talks about premium cigars. Currently, if you can buy a $100 cigar, you pay $15 tax.
  • > $15 cigar, you pay $15 cigar, you pay $15 tax.<01:32:47.040> So,<01:32:47.160> that'd
  • have caps on, um, premium cigar tax. have caps on, um, premium cigar tax.
  • ,<01:33:44.160> um, cigars, um, cigars, um, in<01:33:45.040> that<01:33:45.280> they're
  • What are and their caps on $100 cigars?
Keywords: An issue was found with the live stream of this meeting. This version was uploaded as a complete version and should contain the entirety of the meeting. Meeting Start 00:00:00 Roll Call 00:00:15 HB 647 Discussion 00:02:00 HB 647 Vote 00:05:47 HB 501 Discussion 00:07:40 HB 501 Vote 00:09:53 HB 502 Discussion 00:11:20 HB 502 Vote 00:14:48 HJR 75 Discussion 00:16:53 HJR 75 Vote 00:17:35 HJR 76 Discussion 00:19:00 HJR 76 Vote 00:19:43 HB 869 Discussion 00:21:22 HB 869 Vote 00:30:00 HB 619 Discussion 00:31:39 HB 619 Vote 00:34:33 HB 356 Discussion 00:36:22 HB 356 Vote 00:40:19 HB 900 Discussion 00:43:17 HB 900 Vote 00:46:21 HB 816 Discussion 00:48:02 HB 816 Vote 00:53:47 HB 9 Discussion 00:55:05 HB 9 Vote 01:18:25 HB 757 Discussion 01:21:04 HB 757 Vote 01:35:55, 958, all
MN
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Taxes Committee 4/2/25

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • , under law they are taxed upfront for those cigars.
  • I'm one of the owners and founder of Cigar Company.
  • We're a veteran-owned, Minnesota-based cigar fulfillment and distribution company.
  • <00:04:33.720> Company of the owners of founder Cigar Company of the owners of founder Cigar
  • <00:08:28.680> of day today um other than the cigars of day today um other than the cigars
Keywords: 1183, house
MD
MD

Maryland 2026 Regular Session

Senate Floor Session, 3/23/2026 #2

Maryland Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • large cigar bars in jurisdictions. large cigar bars in jurisdictions.
  • <00:21:52.720> shops is to ensure that the local cigar shops is to ensure that the local cigar
  • We don't represent, we have cigar shops.
  • alcohol served in our um, in our cigar alcohol served in our um, in our cigar spots
  • That's good to cigar establishment.
Keywords: Senate streaming session for Monday, March 23, 2026, 960, senate, all
Summary: The Senate convened with a quorum present, opened with an invocation, and welcomed guests including the doctor of the day, a Johns Hopkins student, and visiting scouts. The chamber then moved through first-reading introductions of several House bills, including measures on bullying and harassment reporting, the Family and Law Enforcement Protection Act, Baltimore County nuisance actions, parole hearing commission procedures, a blockchain technology task force, and a task force on deed fraud, all of which were referred to standing committees. The main floor action centered on layover bills. Senate Bill 932, concerning social media platforms displaying a user’s usual location, was amended to broaden the protected location reference and to protect participants in the Secretary of State’s address confidentiality program; after discussion about whether minors and child-abuse victims were covered, the amended bill was ordered printed for third reading. Senate Bill 623, creating a premium cigar lounge alcoholic beverage license, drew multiple county-specific amendments. Howard County and Baltimore County amendments sought to give priority to existing local tobacco businesses for the new licenses. Supporters said the changes would protect established local shops from out-of-state entities, while opponents argued the bill should remain statewide and not be amended county by county. A motion to special order the bill failed, and the amendments were adopted before the bill was ordered printed for third reading. Senate Bill 84, on collective bargaining for graduate assistants, also advanced after a committee amendment was adopted. A District 2 amendment was offered to clarify that graduate assistants are employed as teaching, administrative, or research assistants, but the floor leader opposed it, saying the bill’s definition was already clear and the change would create confusion. The minority leader questioned the definition and the relationship between graduate assistants and employees, prompting discussion of collective bargaining as bargaining by employees through representatives. The transcript cuts off before final disposition of that amendment.
NH
NH

New Hampshire 2026 Regular Session

House Commerce and Consumer Affairs (02/04/2026)

Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • cigar bar? cigar bar?
  • And yes, uh, whiskey in terms of the cigar bar, I believe we allowed whiskey in wine into the cigar bar
  • And yes, uh, whiskey in terms of the cigar bar, I believe we allowed whiskey in wine into the cigar bar
  • So they would be able to sell directly to a cigar bar. >> But what if the cigar bar is... >> Excuse me
  • to a cigar bar. to a cigar bar.
Keywords: 1189, house, all
WV
WV

West Virginia 2026 Regular Session

Senate in Session Mar 10th, 2026 at 11:05 am

West Virginia Senate Floor Meeting

Transcript Highlights:
  • the contents of Senate Bill 1000, which recently passed the Senate with two exceptions: deleting cigars
  • , cigarillos, and little cigars from the definition of a tobacco-derived product.
  • bill additionally adds a section addressing applicability, stating that the article does not apply to cigar
  • the contents of Senate Bill 1000, which recently passed the Senate with two exceptions: deleting cigars
  • , cigarillos, and little cigars from the definition of a tobacco-derived product.
Keywords: 994, senate, all
Summary: The Senate opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, journal approval, and numerous guest introductions, including students, coaches, visitors from West Virginia universities, and representatives of Hunger Free West Virginia and Mountaineer Food Bank. The chamber also recognized Hunger Free West Virginia Day and heard remarks highlighting food insecurity efforts and a company working on pharmaceutical manufacturing and sickle-cell treatments. Senate Resolution 60 honoring Hunger Free West Virginia Day was adopted, while Senate Resolution 61 urging reversal of Obergefell was held over and Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 on the Southern West Virginia water crisis was referred to the Rules Committee. The Senate concurred in House amendments and passed several measures, including Senate Bill 467 on enforcement of Purple Heart parking spaces and Senate Bill 712 on cattle guards on certain public roads, with both made effective from passage. The body also passed Senate Bill 844, a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Human Services, and Senate Bill 87, a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Commerce, both with immediate effectiveness. In addition, the Senate advanced a large number of House bills and committee substitutes on first or second reading, including measures on government organization, judiciary, transportation, workforce, and health-related topics. On third reading, the Senate passed a series of bills covering a wide range of policy areas. These included the Blue Envelope Program for drivers with autism, dementia, or developmental disabilities; coverage for scalp cooling systems during chemotherapy; expanded sex-offender registration for certain offenses; child welfare clothing allowances; school personnel misconduct reporting; age verification for online sexual content; free Gold Star license plates for parents; sanitarian training and licensure changes; sheriff hiring authority; organ donor registration through voter registration; a Cold Case Task Force; abandoned vehicle title procedures; continuing education in nutrition for physicians; special plate rules; gift card fraud crimes; protections for athletic officials; school personnel reassignment rules; Homeland Security administrative updates; pharmacy benefit manager regulation; the VAPE Safety Act after a strike-and-insert amendment; parole supervision fee increases; partial service credit for disabled troopers; state property valuation reporting changes; and quarterly Hope Scholarship payments. Most of these bills passed overwhelmingly, often 34-0, with a few narrower votes such as the organ donor bill passing 30-4 and the school personnel movement bill passing 33-1.