UPDATE – HB 1069 HAS BEEN DEFEATED. PLEASE GO THANK OUR CHAMPION LEGISLATORS HERE!
HB 1069 is not about protecting children or stopping illicit vape products. Instead, it is a Big Tobacco-backed bill that eliminates independent businesses, forces South Dakota into a broken federal process currently under Supreme Court review, and ensures only cigarette-company-approved products remain available.
What HB 1069 Does
- Bans 99% of vape products by forcing businesses to comply with an FDA process that has already denied over 99% of applications—allowing only Big Tobacco-backed products to remain.
- Fails to stop illicit sales, providing no new penalties or enforcement mechanisms for counterfeit or foreign-made vape products.
- Doesn’t protect children, as its own sponsor admitted when asked how it helps keep vape products away from minors:
“So what I’m trying to understand here also in the conversation is that we’re talking a lot about children—specifically, how does this bill specifically help keep the vape products from children?”
— Rep. Taylor Raefeldht, House Health and Human Services Committee
“Chair, great question. It really doesn’t.”
— Rep. Brian Mulder, HB 1069 Prime Sponsor (SDPB Podcast Timestamp)
Big Tobacco’s Path to a Monopoly
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First read in House
Referred to House Health and Human Services.
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House Health and Human Services Hearing
Do Pass, YEAS: 7, NAYS: 5.
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Deferred with Pending Amendment
Passed under Rule 5-17.
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House Motion to Amend (1069A)
Amendment passed. House Do Pass Amended, YEAS: 57, NAYS: 11.
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First Reading in Senate
Bill introduced in the Senate.
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Referred to Senate Commerce and Energy
Bill sent to the Senate committee.
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Senate Hearing
Motion to amend (1069D) passed. Senate Do Pass Amended, YEAS: 6, NAYS: 3.
TAKE ACTION NOW –
TELL YOUR SENATOR TO VOTE NO ON HB 1069!
HB 1069 is a Big Tobacco handout that kills small businesses and wipes out consumer choice.
This bill doesn’t protect kids and does nothing to stop illicit sales.
Big Tobacco lobbyists are behind this bill—South Dakota lawmakers should not be doing their bidding.
Please be respectful, refrain from using any vulgarities or curse words. But please do tell them your story, why you’re so passionate about this, and why they should vote NO!
Email your senator and urge them to vote NO.
Call your senator today and tell them
VOTE NO ON HB 1069!
