HB 623: TOBACCO/TOBACCO PRODUCTS: Provides for a three-tier system of permitting for the producers, manufacturers, and wholesalers of vapor products (EN NO IMPACT GF EX See Note) - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #4554, Reese, Adopted → HB623 Act 820 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was re-engrossed and enrolled, transitioning from a Senate floor amendment stage to its final enacted form as Act 820. The substantive text of the vapor product regulations remains consistent with the previous version, establishing a strict three-tier distribution system to prevent vertical integration between manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the text defines the same rules for permits, sales restrictions, and direct shipment prohibitions as the Senate version.

TECHNICAL

Removed the header identifying the document as 'Senate Floor Amendments' and the specific amendment numbers (Amendment No. 1 and No. 2) that were used to propose changes to the bill.

Added standard enrolled act formatting, including the session year (2026), act number (820), and the formal signature blocks for the Speaker, Senate President, and Governor.

Replaced the amendment-specific page markers (e.g., 'Page 1 of 1') with standard enrolled act page markers (e.g., 'Page 1 of 3').

HB623 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #4554, Reese, Adopted · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to remove a redundant phrase regarding permit requirements and to correct a typo changing the word 'except' to 'exempt' in the list of legislative purposes. These changes refine the bill's language without altering its core policy of establishing a three-tier tobacco and vapor product system.

TECHNICAL

Removed the word 'for' from the phrase 'to provide for a three-tier system' to improve grammatical flow.

Changed the word 'except' to 'exempt' in the legislative summary to accurately reflect the bill's intent.

HB623 Enrolled → HB623 Original · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from 'Enrolled' to 'Original' and expanded its scope from only vapor products to include all tobacco and vapor products. It established a strict three-tier system where manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers must hold separate permits and cannot cross into each other's roles. The law now mandates a digital tracking system for all product transfers and clarifies that direct shipments from manufacturers to consumers are prohibited unless the seller holds a valid wholesale permit.

Scope change

The bill's scope was broadened to explicitly cover all tobacco products, not just vapor products, and it formalized a rigid three-tier distribution model to prevent unauthorized sales channels.

SCOPE

Expanded applicability from 'vapor products' to 'tobacco or vapor products' throughout the text.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new Section 914.2 establishing a mandatory digital product registry and chain of custody tracking system for all transfers between tiers.

Added a specific prohibition on retailers purchasing products from any source other than a permitted wholesaler.

ELIGIBILITY

Restructured permit rules to strictly separate roles: manufacturers cannot be wholesalers/retailers, wholesalers cannot be retailers, and retailers cannot be wholesalers.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that penalties collected under the new enforcement section are retained by the commissioner.

HB623 Re-Reengrossed → HB623 Enrolled · 4 edits · May 31, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an enrolled act, confirming its passage. Substantively, the text was expanded to include 'modified risk tobacco products' alongside vapor products, ensuring the new three-tier permitting system covers a broader range of nicotine delivery devices. The effective date for the new tax and requirements was set to January 1, 2027, and a specific exception was added to allow third-party delivery of products from physical retail stores if age verification occurs at the time of hand-off.

Scope change

The scope of the bill was expanded to explicitly include 'modified risk tobacco products' in addition to vapor products, and the timeline for implementation was clarified with a specific start date of January 1, 2027.

SCOPE

The bill now explicitly covers 'modified risk tobacco products' in addition to vapor products.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new tax and implementation requirements was set to January 1, 2027.

REQUIREMENT

A new provision allows third-party delivery of vapor products from physical retail stores if the recipient's age is verified in person at the time of delivery.

TECHNICAL

Internal legislative markings, such as the 'Re-Reengrossed' status and the House digest summary, were removed to finalize the text.

HB623 Reengrossed → HB623 Re-Reengrossed · 3 edits · May 28, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-engrossed to clarify that the three-tier permitting system applies specifically to Louisiana-permitted manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. A new exception was added allowing wholesalers to sell directly to affiliated entities (such as parent companies or subsidiaries) without violating the three-tier rule. The text was also updated to consistently specify that permits must be held for the purpose of selling products to Louisiana consumers.

Scope change

The scope was refined to explicitly limit the three-tier system to entities holding valid Louisiana permits, and a new exception was created for sales between affiliated business entities.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated the definition of the three-tier system to apply only to 'Louisiana-permitted' manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific exception allowing wholesalers to sell vapor products to retail dealers that are affiliated entities (e.g., same company or parent company).

Clarified that permits are only valid for the specific purpose of selling vapor products to Louisiana consumers.

HB623 Engrossed → HB623 Reengrossed · 1 edit · May 28, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to correct a grammatical error in the prohibition against direct shipments of vapor products. The original text incorrectly stated that shipments from an 'out of state seller' were prohibited, while the new text clarifies that shipments from both 'in-state' and 'out-of-state' sellers are prohibited. Additionally, the digest section was updated to reflect this corrected prohibition.

Scope change

The scope of the prohibition on direct shipments was clarified to explicitly include both in-state and out-of-state sellers, removing ambiguity about which sellers are banned from direct-to-consumer sales.

REQUIREMENT

Corrected the text prohibiting direct shipments to clarify that both in-state and out-of-state sellers are banned from selling vapor products directly to consumers.

TOBACCO/TOBACCO PRODUCTS: Provides for a three-tier system of permitting for the producers, manufacturers, and wholesalers of vapor products (EN NO IMPACT GF EX See Note)

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