HB 493 Summary

• Authorizes the State Fire Council to use funds from the reduced ignition propensity cigarette program special fund to support council duties beyond the cigarette program, including community fire education, preparedness programs, and hiring additional personnel.

• Establishes specific testing procedures for reduced ignition propensity cigarettes, requiring the state fire council to test 25 cigarette samples and conduct follow-up testing on brands with a 25% or greater failure rate.

• Allows manufacturers 30 days to remove failed cigarette brands from sale after notification of test failure and permits manufacturers to file written appeals within 10 days with a council administrative hearing decision required within 30 days.

• Enables the state fire council to employ full-time or part-time staff without regard to civil service requirements to administer the cigarette program and council responsibilities.

• Adds civil penalties for manufacturers whose cigarette brands fail two successive testing rounds and clarifies that the attorney general may recover testing and enforcement costs in violation proceedings.