Public Comments for 01/25/2022 General Laws - ABC/Gaming
HB20 - Alcoholic beverage control; tax allocation for funding the Virginia Spirits Promotion Fund, report.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB300 - Alcoholic beverage control; distiller licenses to allow Internet orders and shipments.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB328 - Alcoholic beverage control; retail privatization of government stores.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB387 - Alcoholic beverage control; sales conducted on licensed premises.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB426 - Alcoholic beverage control; delivery of alcoholic beverages, third-party delivery license.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB464 - Alcoholic beverage control; tied house.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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Last Name: Weltens Organization: LongWay Brewing Locality: Radford, VA

We are a brewery that opened in Dec 2020 and while we have had success in our hiring - additional expertise in the industry exists that we would love to utilize. Some of our patrons happen to work in areas that they would like to have additional hours and provide the kind of education of customers that would help.

HB685 - Tobacco retail licensing; penalties.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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Last Name: Kissell Organization: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Locality: Alexandria

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on behalf of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids regarding HB 685 by Delegate Hope. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids strongly supports HB 685, which would create a licensing program for tobacco retailers in Virginia. Requiring a local tobacco retailer license will provide the Commonwealth with a powerful tool for protecting children from the risks of tobacco use by preventing the sale of tobacco products to minors. Virginia is one of only nine states that do not have a Tobacco Retail License. Without this, it is not possible to monitor illegal sales of tobacco products. HB 685 would require all retailers of tobacco and nicotine products to obtain a Tobacco Retail License on an annual basis through the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority (ABC). This would a comprehensive list of all tobacco and nicotine retailers within the Commonwealth. It would be similar to an ABC alcohol license and the licenses being considered for retail sales of marijuana in Virginia. This would allow for a systematic enforcement program that would level the playing field for small businesses who follow the rules. Rogue retailers who illegally sell tobacco products to minors would risk monetary penalties and the potential for license suspension. HB 685 would also remove penalties for youth who purchase, use and possession tobacco products. These punitive measures have not been shown effective in reducing youth use of tobacco. HB 685 is a common sense piece of legislation that will help prevent tobacco use among youth. For that reason, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids encourages you to support a strong Tobacco Retail License in Virginia, by voting yes on HB 685.

Last Name: Casper Organization: American Lung Association Locality: Richmond

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on behalf of the American Lung Association in Virginia regarding HB 685 by Delegate Hope. The American Lung Association strongly supports HB 685, which would create a licensing program for tobacco retailers in Virginia. We are asking that you vote yes in support of this bill. Currently, Virginia does not require tobacco and e-cigarette retailers to obtain a tobacco retail license. Virginia is one of 9 states that do not have a Tobacco Retail License. Without a comprehensive tobacco retail license program, Virginia cannot effectively enforce, educate, monitor, or penalize illegal sales of tobacco products. According to data strong retail licensing requirements have been found to reduce youth e-cigarette and tobacco use. HB 685 would be a good step in implementing a tobacco retail license infrastructure in Virginia. HB 685 would: • Require all retailers of tobacco and nicotine products to obtain a Tobacco Retail License through the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority (ABC) and renew it annually • Establish a comprehensive list of all tobacco and nicotine retailers within the Commonwealth which we currently do not have. This will streamline enforcement efforts and provide needed data on who is setting tobacco and nicotine products at retail • Aligns state definitions of tobacco product and electronic smoking devices with federal definitions • Establish enhanced civil monetary penalties and outline license suspension and revocation provisions • Removes youth purchase, use and possession penalties, which target kids and have not been shown effective in reducing youth use of tobacco The American Lung Association thanks you for the opportunity to share our comments on this proposed piece of legislation and encourages you to support a strong Tobacco Retail License in Virginia, by voting yes on HB 685. If we can answer any additional questions or provide more information, please feel free to contact me.

Last Name: Casper Organization: American Lung Association Locality: Richmond

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on behalf of the American Lung Association in Virginia regarding HB 685 by Delegate Hope. The American Lung Association strongly supports HB 685, which would create a licensing program for tobacco retailers in Virginia. We are asking that you vote yes, at the upcoming Subcommittee #3 meeting. Currently, Virginia does not require tobacco and e-cigarette retailers to obtain a tobacco retail license. Virginia is one of 9 states that do not have a Tobacco Retail License. Without a comprehensive tobacco retail license program, Virginia cannot effectively enforce, educate, monitor, or penalize illegal sales of tobacco products. According to data strong retail licensing requirements have been found to reduce youth e-cigarette and tobacco use. HB 685 would be a good step in implementing a tobacco retail license infrastructure in Virginia. HB 685 would: • Require all retailers of tobacco and nicotine products to obtain a Tobacco Retail License through the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority (ABC) and renew it annually • Establish a comprehensive list of all tobacco and nicotine retailers within the Commonwealth which we currently do not have. This will streamline enforcement efforts and provide needed data on who is setting tobacco and nicotine products at retail • Aligns state definitions of tobacco product and electronic smoking devices with federal definitions • Establish enhanced civil monetary penalties and outline license suspension and revocation provisions • Removes youth purchase, use and possession penalties, which target kids and have not been shown effective in reducing youth use of tobacco The American Lung Association thanks you for the opportunity to share our comments on this proposed piece of legislation and encourages you to support a strong Tobacco Retail License in Virginia, by voting yes on HB 685

Last Name: Quinby Organization: Tobacco 21 Locality: McLean

January 24, 2022 - Presented with strong evidence that raising the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21 could prevent millions of kids from starting down a path of smoking and nicotine addiction, the Virginia General Assembly passed a “Tobacco 21” law in January of 2019. Later that year, Congress also raised the federal tobacco sales age to 21, and President Trump immediately signed it into law. But Virginia is not enforcing Tobacco 21, and retailer violation numbers are climbing, meaning kids are being sold tobacco and nicotine products at unacceptably high rates throughout the Commonwealth, purchasing them, using them and bringing them to school to share with their peers. Right now, one in five Virginia high schoolers – 20 percent - are currently using highly-addictive e-cigarettes (“Vaping”) and doing so at almost double the national youth vaping rate of 11 percent. Ask any high school principal: vaping in school is the number one infraction reported by school administrators throughout Virginia. Nicotine is highly-addictive; it harms the developing adoloescent brain and is a gateway to other drug use. Nicotine has been linked to scholastic under-achievement, depression and other mental health disorders. Research tells us (and the tobacco industry knows this too) that if a person has not started smoking or vaping by age 21, there is a very good chance they never will. Properly enforced, “Tobacco 21” laws will reduce youth initiation and use of tobacco and nicotine and help prevent a lifetime of addiction, illness and early death. Tobacco Retail Licensing (“TRL) is an essential tool for enforcing the state and federal sales age of 21, yet Virginia remains one of only nine states in the U.S. without a TRL law. Without a TRL, there is no comprehensive list of the estimated 7,800 tobacco and nicotine retailers in the state and no systematic enforcement program. Virginia must enforce the federal age of 21 by demonstrating it has achieved a retailer violation rate (“RVR”) of no higher than 20 percent or the state risks losing 10% (more than $4M) in annual Substance Abuse Block Grants (SABG) through SAMHSA. Establishing a Tobacco Retail Licensing law through H. 685 will create a reasonable, systematic program of enforcement and establish a penalty and suspension structure for those who sell unlawfully. H. 685 will level the playing field for all tobacco retailers, eliminating the unfair advantage now held by rogue retailers who sell to kids. H. 685 does not place burdensome regulations on tobacco retailers; it is a privilege license to sell an addictive and harmful product, the same as an ABC alcohol license and the licenses being considered for retail sales of marijuana in Virginia. Please vote to pass H. 685 to protect Virginia kids from a lifetime of tobacco and nicotine use and addiction. Respectfully submitted, Shannon Quinby Eastern Regional Director Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation/Tobacco 21 McLean, VA 22101

Last Name: Quinby Organization: Tobacco 21 Locality: McLean

Comments Document

Please accept the attached document as testimony in favor of H. 685. Thank you

HB1021 - Alcoholic beverage control; definitions of designer and vintage spirit bottles.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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HB1250 - Alcoholic beverage control; marketplace facilitator license.
Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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Last Name: Willis Locality: Richmond, VA 23234

The city has chosen ONE as a gaming host. This bill is identical to Morrissey's SB203 which puts limits on a casino referendum in Richmond for five years. We in the city of Richmond feels as Mr. Morrissey have committed MUTINY on us. We see this bill (HB-1134) only as a designed to remove Richmond city from becoming a host city, which in the end becomes Richmond being remove indefinite. PLEASE VOTE NO to HB-1134.

HB1251 - Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores, sale of nonalcoholic spirit alternative.
Last Name: Savage Locality: Richmond City

Virginia ABC should be kept to its original purpose. The more sales we allow through ABC stores, the more competition there is for the Virginia government to compete with small businesses.

Last Name: Nies Locality: Bamboo Creek

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Last Name: Willis Locality: Richmond, VA 23234

The city has chosen ONE as a gaming host. This bill is identical to Morrissey's SB203 which puts limits on a casino referendum in Richmond for five years. We in the city of Richmond feels as Mr. Morrissey have committed MUTINY on us. We see this bill (HB-1134) only as a designed to remove Richmond city from becoming a host city, which in the end becomes Richmond being remove indefinite. PLEASE VOTE NO to HB-1134.

End of Comments