Bill lets Kotek ban products. No vote needed.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

For over 30 years it was illegal for Oregon bars to advertise happy hour for fear that a child might see the sign while walking down the street and suddenly become drawn to become alcoholic.

Lawmakers didn’t pass this stupid rule — the unelected Oregon Liquor Control Commission did.   They only dropped the rule, because the rise of the internet made it impossible to enforce.

Today (4/21) is a hearing on Senate Bill 1198  which would allow another state agency (Oregon Health Authority) open-ended power to ban products related to nicotine if the agency feels the product is too directed or too appealing to minors.

Gov. Kotek and lawmakers want other people to make their decisions for them.   This is a terrible trend.

Please take a moment to stop the bill that would empower un-elected agency bureaucrats with the power to ban legal adult products related to vaping and tobacco.   You can submit a simple online statement directly on the State Capitol website.

Once we go down this road of letting agencies ban products based on ill-defined appeal to minors, we open the floodgates to ban all sorts of products.  This is why we fear that if this bill passes, the next bill to target alcohol.

Remember, the same agency, the Oregon Health Authority, that SB 1198 would let ban products without a vote, is the same agency that was involved in a scandal, just last year, over hiding information from lawmakers and the public on their failed beer-tax study.

This is the same Oregon Health Authority that made national news for dressing up in a clown outfit on Halloween as they reported Covid deaths.

If a legal product has broken the law — it should be decided by a judge — not an unelected bureaucrat.

Please submit a simple online statement directly on the State Capitol website — the testimony website will close 24 hours after the hearing.

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