CALIFORNIA
Berkeley (near San Francisco): Berkeley City Council has instructed staff to write an ordinance to that would ban e-cigarette use wherever smoking is banned. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th at 7 PM at the Council Chambers (2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Berkeley). While the e-cigarette usage ban will not be discussed, Tuesday night is great potential opportunity for e-cigarette users to speak before the Council. In order to speak at the beginning of the meeting, you must submit a name card prior to the meeting starting. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
Lakewood (near Los Angeles): Lakewood City Council has also instructed staff to write an ordinance that would ban e-cigarette use wherever smoking is banned. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 PM at Council Chambers (5000 Clark Avenue). It is not yet known whether the e-cigarette usage ban will be discussed. Regardless, we are asking for vapers to attend and speak in opposition to the ban and provide some education on the facts about e-cigarettes. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
**************************
FLORIDA
Orange Park (near Jacksonville): On Tuesday, October 15th at 7 PM the Orange Park City Council is likely to vote on an ordinance that would ban sales to minors, but would also ban vaping wherever smoking is prohibited. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
Vero Beach (near Palm Bay and Port St. Lucie): On Tuesday, October 15th at 9:30 AM, the Vero Beach City Council will hold a first reading of an ordinance that would ban e-cigarette sales to minors, but would also ban vaping wherever smoking is prohibited. This is the first of two or three meetings on the ordinance, but it is important that we have people out in force at all the meetings. This is the first reading of the ordinance, which means that there will be a future opportunity to speak before a vote is held (either at their November 5th or 19th meeting). [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
Marion County (near Gainesville): On Tuesday, October 15th at 9 AM, Marion County Commissioner David Moore will request a public hearing on an ordinance that would ban sales of e-cigarettes to minors, but would also ban vaping where smoking is banned. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
**************************
ILLINOIS
Evanston (a suburb of Chicago): Evanston City Council will meet on Monday 10/14/13, 7:30 PM to hear testimony and likely vote on Ordinance No. 80-0-13, an ordinance that would prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes and e-liquid to minors, but also BAN e-cigarette use wherever smoking is banned in the city. The meeting will be begin at approximately 7:30 PM at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center at 2100 Ridge Avenue in Evanston. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
**************************
MASSACHUSETTS
Statewide: Continued action is needed against two bills: (1) HB 3639, a bill that would ban e-cigarettes wherever smoking is banned [Call to Action] and (2) HB 2593, which would add a 90% tax on the sale of all e-cigarette products with nicotine. [Call to Action]
**************************
MINNESOTA
Ely City (along Canadian border): Ely City Council held a first reading on Tuesday of an ordinance that would declare a moratorium on the sale and use of synthetic drugs AND electronic cigarettes within the city of Ely. If this ordinance becomes law, this would mean that a store wishing to sell cigarettes would be free to open in Ely, but a store wanting to sell e-cigarettes and help people stop smoking would be banned from doing so for a period of months (possibly even a year). Ely City Council will meet on Tuesday, October 15th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Ely City Hall (209 E Chapman St, Ely, MN 55731). [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
Beltrami County (largest city is Bemidji): Beltrami County Board of Commissioners will be discussing e-cigarettes and the possibility of an indoor use ban at their work session on Tuesday, October 15th at 3:45 PM. Members of the public can give public comment on e-cigarettes at their regular meeting, which starts at 5 PM. There is currently no specific ordinance proposed, but the anti e-cigarette campaigners are surely fighting for an indoor usage ban. The meeting will be held at 701 Minnesota Avenue in Bemidji, MN. [See agenda]
**************************
NEW YORK
New York City: Continued action is needed against Mayor Michael Bloomberg's deceitful attempt to enact an unannounced, backdoor ban on flavored e-cigarettes. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
**************************
OHIO
Statewide: Support HB 144, a bill to ban e-cigarette sales to minors but not tax or define them as "tobacco products." Those hungry for new taxes in the House are actively opposing this bill, so action is needed. [See Call to Action for details on how to SUPPORT it]
**************************
PENNSYLVANIA
Statewide: Support SB 1055, a bill to ban e-cigarette sales to minors but not tax or define them as "tobacco products." This bill has sat around for months with no movement and we need vapers in the state to encourage that a hearing be held. [See Call to Action for details on how to SUPPORT it].
**************************
TEXAS
Mansfield, TX Considering Moratorium on Opening of New E-Cigarette Stores -- Next Meeting Monday, Oct. 14 at 7 PM at City Hall (1200 E Broad St). Unless rescheduled, there will also be a council meeting on Monday, October 28th at 7 PM. In order to be recognized during the "Citizen Comments" period, please complete a blue "Appearance Card" located at the entry to the City Council Chamber and present it to the Assistant City Secretary. Do not expect a response from Council, as the Council cannot respond due to regulations of the Open Meetings Act. [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
**************************
WYOMING
Cheyenne: Councilwoman Georgia Broyles has proposed an ordinance that would make it an offense under Cheyenne law to sell an e-cigarette to a minor. Wyoming law already wisely prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. However, while currently Wyoming law does not define e-cigarettes to be a "tobacco product" like cigarettes and cigars are, passage of Councilwoman Broyles' ordinance would make e-cigarettes a "tobacco product" under Cheyenne law. The Council will meet on Monday, October 14th at 6 PM at the Municipal Building (2101 O'Neil Avenue in Cheyenne). [See Call to Action for specifics and how to stop it]
