A 425 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Increases penalties for certain prohibited sales of tobacco and vapor products.

This New Jersey bill increases fines for retailers selling tobacco or vaping products to people under 21. Retailers face $750 for a first violation, $1,500 for a second, and $3,000 for third or subsequent violations. It also allows license suspension after a second violation and requires retailers to post warning signs at point-of-sale. Five percent of collected fines fund public education about vaping risks and illegal sales. The law directly affects stores selling tobacco or vaping products, aiming to reduce underage access through stricter penalties.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action May 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Technical Review Of Prefiled Bill → Introduced · 5 edits · Jan 13, 2026

MODERATE

This diff reflects the transition of Assembly Bill 425 from its technical review stage to its introduced version. The primary substantive addition is a STATEMENT section that summarizes the bill's provisions: increased penalties for selling tobacco and vapor products to minors, a broadened definition of 'tobacco product,' and new compliance reporting and anonymous violation reporting mechanisms. A co-sponsor (Donlon) was also removed from the list.

Scope change

The bill's scope is clarified through the added statement: it applies to all retailers selling tobacco products (broadly defined to include vapor products and accessories) to persons under 21, with new compliance reporting obligations on retail dealers and a new anonymous tip mechanism administered by the Division of Taxation.

DEFINITION

A STATEMENT section was added defining 'tobacco product' to include any product containing, made of, or derived from tobacco or nicotine intended for human consumption, including vapor products, components, parts, and accessories (filters, rolling papers, blunt or hemp wraps, hookahs, pipes). FDA-approved drug, device, or combination products are excluded.

ENFORCEMENT

Fines for selling tobacco to persons under 21 were increased: first violation from not less than $250 to $750, second violation from not less than $500 to $1,500, and third and subsequent violations from $1,000 to $3,000.

FISCAL

Five percent of penalties recovered are directed to the Department of Health to fund educational programs and outreach initiatives about the dangers of vapor products and consequences of illegal sale or use.

REQUIREMENT

The Division of Taxation must establish a process for retail dealers to report their compliance efforts with the age-restricted sales prohibition, and must also establish a mechanism for individuals to anonymously report violations.

TECHNICAL

Assemblyman Donlon was removed from the list of co-sponsors.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 11, 2026

Committee

Reported and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Introduced

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee

lower

2 primary · 6 co-sponsors