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SB 1316

✅Relating to a prohibition on e-cigarette advertising in certain locations.

✅ SB 1316: Puts vaping ads under school, church distance buffer

What it says it does:
Treats e-cigarette ads the same as cigarette and tobacco ads within 1,000 feet of schools and churches, starting September 1, 2025.

What it actually changes:
Adds e-cigarettes to an existing advertising buffer. The distance is measured from the property line along streets. A pre-September 1, 1997 exception still allows some legacy signs between 500 and 1,000 feet. That exception will now also cover e-cigarette ads at those legacy locations.

Who is pushing for it:
Medical and pediatric groups, PTAs, school associations, local governments. Vapor industry representatives participated. Specific donor PACs, Not in files.

Who benefits:
Students, parents, schools, and churches that do not want vape ads near kids. Communities gain a cleaner rule that matches tobacco limits.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Neighborhoods with grandfathered billboard corridors near campuses. Advertisers and some retailers lose high-visibility space close to schools, except at legacy sites that keep the exception.

Why this matters long term:
It closes a gap by aligning vaping with tobacco around places where kids gather. There are no new agencies, fees, or grant programs. Real impact depends on day-to-day enforcement and whether the legacy exception is narrowed in future action.

What to watch next:
A public list or map of grandfathered locations would make compliance visible. Basic annual reporting on complaints and measurements would help. Lawmakers could bar new vape content at legacy sites, or phase out the exception over time.

Bottom line:
A straightforward youth-health fix that brings vape ads under an existing 1,000-foot buffer. The only soft spot is the old legacy carveout, which can blunt coverage in a few corridors unless tightened later.

Questions to ask lawmakers:

1. Will you publish a public map or list of grandfathered locations so parents and schools know where the exception applies?
2. What metrics will you use to track compliance and results in the first school year after the law takes effect?
3. Would you consider phasing out the grandfathered exception or barring new e-cigarette content at those older sites?

#SB1316 #TexasPolicy #KnowBeforeYouVote #YouthHealth #Schools #Advertising

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