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HF2664 • 2026

A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
BAETH, LEVIN, WILBURN, B. MEYER, CROKEN, BROWN-POWERS, GJERDE and MATSON
Last action
2026-02-23
Official status
Introduced, referred to Ways and Means. H.J. 374 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-23 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, referred to Ways and Means. H.J. 374 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act increasing the tax on cigarettes and vapor products.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
House

File

2664

-

Introduced

HOUSE

FILE

2664

BY

BAETH

,

LEVIN

,

WILBURN

,

B.

MEYER

,

CROKEN

,

BROWN-POWERS

,

GJERDE

,

and

MATSON

A

BILL

FOR

An

Act

increasing

the

tax

on

cigarettes

and

vapor

products.

1

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

2

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DIVISION

I

1

TAXATION

OF

CIGARETTES

AND

VAPOR

PRODUCTS

2

Section

1.

Section

453A.6,

subsection

1,

Code

2026,

is

3

amended

to

read

as

follows:

4

1.

There

is

imposed,

and

shall

be

collected

and

paid

to

the

5

department,

a

tax

on

all

cigarettes

used

or

otherwise

disposed

6

of

in

this

state

for

any

purpose

equal

to

six

fourteen

and

7

eight-tenths

three-tenths

cents

on

each

cigarette.

8

Sec.

2.

Section

453A.6,

subsection

8,

paragraph

a,

Code

9

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

10

a.

Pay

directly

to

the

department,

in

lieu

of

the

tax

under

11

subsection

1

,

a

tax

equal

to

three

and

six

six

and

forty-three

12

hundredths

cents

on

each

cigarette

dispensed

from

such

machine.

13

Payments

made

under

this

paragraph

shall

be

remitted

to

the

14

department

electronically.

15

Sec.

3.

Section

453A.40,

subsection

1,

Code

2026,

is

amended

16

to

read

as

follows:

17

1.

All

persons

required

to

obtain

a

permit

or

to

be

licensed

18

under

section

453A.13

or

section

453A.44

having

in

their

19

possession

and

held

for

resale

on

the

effective

date

of

an

20

increase

in

the

tax

rate

cigarettes,

little

cigars,

or

tobacco

21

products

,

or

vapor

products

upon

which

the

tax

under

section

22

453A.6

or

453A.43

has

been

paid,

unused

cigarette

tax

stamps

23

which

have

been

paid

for

under

section

453A.8

,

unused

metered

24

imprints

which

have

been

paid

for

under

section

453A.12

,

or

25

tobacco

products

for

which

the

tax

has

not

been

paid

under

26

section

453A.46

shall

be

subject

to

an

inventory

tax

on

the

27

items

as

provided

in

this

section

.

28

Sec.

4.

Section

453A.43,

subsection

1,

paragraphs

a

and

b,

29

Code

2026,

are

amended

to

read

as

follows:

30

a.

A

tax

is

imposed

upon

all

tobacco

products

and

vapor

31

products

in

this

state

and

upon

any

person

engaged

in

business

32

as

a

distributor

of

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

,

at

the

33

rate

of

twenty-two

percent

of

the

wholesale

sales

price

of

the

34

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

,

except

little

cigars

and

35

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snuff

as

defined

in

section

453A.42

.

1

b.

In

addition

to

the

tax

imposed

under

paragraph

“a”

,

a

2

tax

is

imposed

upon

all

tobacco

products

and

vapor

products

3

in

this

state

and

upon

any

person

engaged

in

business

as

a

4

distributor

of

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

,

at

the

rate

5

of

twenty-eight

percent

of

the

wholesale

sales

price

of

the

6

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

,

except

little

cigars

and

7

snuff

as

defined

in

section

453A.42

.

8

Sec.

5.

Section

453A.43,

subsection

2,

paragraphs

a

and

b,

9

Code

2026,

are

amended

to

read

as

follows:

10

a.

A

tax

is

imposed

upon

the

use

or

storage

by

consumers

of

11

tobacco

products

and

vapor

products

in

this

state,

and

upon

the

12

consumers,

at

the

rate

of

twenty-two

percent

of

the

cost

of

the

13

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

.

14

b.

In

addition

to

the

tax

imposed

in

paragraph

“a”

,

a

tax

15

is

imposed

upon

the

use

or

storage

by

consumers

of

tobacco

16

products

and

vapor

products

in

this

state,

and

upon

the

17

consumers,

at

a

rate

of

twenty-eight

percent

of

the

cost

of

the

18

tobacco

products.

19

DIVISION

II

20

CONFORMING

CHANGES

21

Sec.

6.

Section

331.303,

subsection

3,

Code

2026,

is

amended

22

to

read

as

follows:

23

3.

Act

upon

applications

for

cigarette

,

tobacco

product,

24

and

vapor

product

tax

permits

in

accordance

with

chapter

453A

.

25

Sec.

7.

Section

331.653,

subsection

11,

Code

2026,

is

26

amended

to

read

as

follows:

27

11.

Carry

out

duties

relating

to

the

seizure

and

forfeiture

28

of

cigarettes,

tobacco

products,

and

vapor

products,

vehicles,

29

and

other

property

used

in

violation

of

cigarette

,

tobacco

30

product,

alternative

nicotine

product,

and

vapor

product

tax

31

laws

as

provided

in

section

453A.32

.

32

Sec.

8.

Section

331.756,

subsection

19,

Code

2026,

is

33

amended

to

read

as

follows:

34

19.

Assist,

at

the

request

of

the

director

of

revenue,

in

35

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the

enforcement

of

cigar

and

cigarette,

tobacco

product,

and

1

vapor

product

tax

laws

as

provided

in

sections

453A.32

and

2

453A.49

.

3

Sec.

9.

Section

453A.1,

subsection

21,

Code

2026,

is

amended

4

to

read

as

follows:

5

21.

“Place

of

business”

is

construed

to

mean

and

include

any

6

place

where

cigarettes

,

tobacco

products,

alternative

nicotine

7

products,

or

vapor

products

are

sold

or

where

cigarettes

,

8

tobacco

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

9

products

are

stored

within

or

without

the

state

of

Iowa

by

the

10

holder

of

an

Iowa

permit

or

kept

for

the

purpose

of

sale

or

11

consumption;

or

if

sold

from

any

vehicle

or

train,

the

vehicle

12

or

train

on

which

or

from

which

such

cigarettes

,

tobacco

13

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

are

14

sold

shall

constitute

a

place

of

business;

or

for

a

business

15

within

or

without

the

state

that

conducts

delivery

sales,

any

16

place

where

alternative

nicotine

products

or

vapor

products

are

17

sold

or

where

alternative

nicotine

products

or

vapor

products

18

are

kept

for

the

purpose

of

sale.

19

Sec.

10.

Section

453A.15,

subsections

1,

2,

and

4,

Code

20

2026,

are

amended

to

read

as

follows:

21

1.

The

director

may

prescribe

the

forms

necessary

for

the

22

efficient

administration

of

this

subchapter

and

may

require

23

uniform

books

and

records

to

be

used

and

kept

by

each

permit

24

holder

or

other

person

as

deemed

necessary.

The

director

may

25

also

require

each

permit

holder

or

other

person

to

keep

and

26

retain

in

the

director’s

possession

evidence

on

prescribed

27

forms

of

all

transactions

involving

the

purchase

and

sale

of

28

cigarettes

,

tobacco

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

29

or

vapor

products,

or

the

purchase

and

use

of

stamps.

The

30

evidence

shall

be

kept

for

a

period

of

three

years

from

the

31

date

of

each

transaction,

for

the

inspection

at

all

times

by

32

the

department.

33

2.

Where

a

state

permit

holder

sells

cigarettes

,

tobacco

34

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

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at

retail,

the

holder

shall

be

required

to

maintain

detailed

1

records

for

sales

of

cigarettes

,

tobacco

products,

alternative

2

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

to

be

sold

at

retail

and

3

the

cigarette

such

sales

records

shall

be

kept

separate

and

4

apart.

5

4.

Every

permit

holder

or

other

person

shall,

when

requested

6

by

the

department,

make

additional

reports

as

the

department

7

deems

necessary

and

proper

and

shall

at

the

request

of

the

8

department

furnish

full

and

complete

information

pertaining

to

9

any

transaction

of

the

permit

holder

or

other

person

involving

10

the

purchase

or

sale

or

use

of

cigarettes

,

tobacco

products,

11

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products,

or

purchase

12

of

cigarette

stamps.

13

Sec.

11.

Section

453A.24,

Code

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

14

follows:

15

453A.24

Carrier

to

permit

access

to

records.

16

1.

Every

common

carrier

or

person

in

this

state

having

17

custody

of

books

or

records

showing

the

transportation

of

18

cigarettes

,

tobacco

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

19

vapor

products,

both

interstate

and

intrastate

,

shall

give

and

20

allow

the

department

free

access

to

those

books

and

records.

21

2.

The

director

may

require

by

rule

that

common

carriers

22

or

the

appropriate

persons

provide

monthly

reports

to

the

23

department

detailing

all

information

the

department

deems

24

necessary

on

shipments

into

and

out

of

Iowa

of

cigarettes

,

25

and

tobacco

products

,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

26

products

as

set

forth

in

this

subchapter

I

and

subchapter

27

II

of

this

chapter

.

A

report

required

to

be

submitted

28

by

the

director

pursuant

to

this

section

shall

be

filed

29

electronically.

30

Sec.

12.

Section

453A.32,

subsection

6,

Code

2026,

is

31

amended

to

read

as

follows:

32

6.

The

provisions

of

this

section

applying

to

cigarettes

33

shall

also

apply

to

tobacco

products

and

vapor

products

taxed

34

under

subchapter

II

of

this

chapter

.

35

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Sec.

13.

Section

453A.33,

Code

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

1

follows:

2

453A.33

Seizure

not

to

affect

criminal

prosecution.

3

The

seizure,

forfeiture,

and

sale

of

cigarettes,

tobacco

4

products,

vapor

products,

and

other

property

under

the

5

terms

and

conditions

set

out

in

section

453A.32

,

shall

not

6

constitute

any

defense

to

the

person

owning

or

having

control

7

or

possession

of

the

property

from

criminal

prosecution

for

any

8

act

or

omission

made

or

offense

committed

under

this

chapter

or

9

from

liability

to

pay

penalties

provided

by

this

chapter

.

10

Sec.

14.

Section

453A.35,

subsection

1,

paragraph

b,

Code

11

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

12

b.

The

revenues

generated

from

the

tax

on

cigarettes

13

pursuant

to

section

453A.6,

subsection

1

subsections

1

and

14

8

,

from

the

tax

on

tobacco

products

as

specified

in

section

15

453A.43,

subsections

1,

2,

3,

and

4

,

and

from

the

fees

and

16

penalties

specified

in

subchapter

III

shall

be

credited

to

the

17

health

care

trust

fund

created

in

section

453A.35A

.

18

Sec.

15.

Section

453A.35A,

subsection

1,

Code

2026,

is

19

amended

to

read

as

follows:

20

1.

A

health

care

trust

fund

is

created

in

the

office

of

21

the

treasurer

of

state.

The

fund

consists

of

the

revenues

22

generated

from

the

tax

on

cigarettes

pursuant

to

section

23

453A.6,

subsection

1

subsections

1

and

8

,

from

the

tax

on

24

tobacco

products

and

vapor

products

as

specified

in

section

25

453A.43,

subsections

1,

2,

3,

and

4

,

and

from

the

fees

and

26

penalties

specified

in

subchapter

III

,

that

are

credited

to

the

27

health

care

trust

fund,

annually,

pursuant

to

section

453A.35

.

28

Moneys

in

the

fund

shall

be

separate

from

the

general

fund

29

of

the

state

and

shall

not

be

considered

part

of

the

general

30

fund

of

the

state.

Moneys

in

the

fund

shall

be

used

only

as

31

specified

in

this

section

and

shall

be

appropriated

only

for

32

the

uses

specified.

Moneys

in

the

fund

are

not

subject

to

33

section

8.33

and

shall

not

be

transferred,

used,

obligated,

34

appropriated,

or

otherwise

encumbered,

except

as

provided

in

35

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this

section

.

Notwithstanding

section

12C.7,

subsection

2

,

1

interest

or

earnings

on

moneys

deposited

in

the

fund

shall

be

2

credited

to

the

fund.

3

Sec.

16.

Section

453A.39,

subsection

1,

Code

2026,

is

4

amended

to

read

as

follows:

5

1.

A

manufacturer,

distributor,

wholesaler,

retailer,

or

6

distributing

agent,

or

an

agent

thereof

of

a

manufacturer,

7

distributor,

wholesaler,

retailer,

or

distributing

agent

,

shall

8

not

give

away

cigarettes

,

or

tobacco

products

,

alternative

9

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

at

any

time

in

connection

10

with

the

manufacturer’s,

distributor’s,

wholesaler’s,

11

retailer’s,

or

distributing

agent’s

business

or

for

promotion

12

of

the

business

or

product,

except

as

provided

in

subsection

2

.

13

Sec.

17.

Section

453A.42,

subsections

1,

2,

8,

9,

10,

12,

14

14,

and

17,

Code

2026,

are

amended

to

read

as

follows:

15

1.

“Business”

means

any

trade,

occupation,

activity,

16

or

enterprise

engaged

in

for

the

purpose

of

selling

or

17

distributing

tobacco

products

,

alternative

nicotine

products,

18

or

vapor

products

in

this

state.

19

2.

“Consumer”

means

any

person

who

has

title

to

or

20

possession

of

tobacco

products

,

alternative

nicotine

products,

21

or

vapor

products

in

storage,

for

use

or

other

consumption

in

22

this

state.

23

8.

“Person”

means

any

individual,

firm,

association,

24

partnership,

joint

stock

company,

joint

adventure

venture

,

25

corporation,

trustee,

agency,

or

receiver,

or

any

legal

26

representative

of

any

of

the

foregoing

individual,

firm,

27

association,

partnership,

joint

stock

company,

joint

venture,

28

corporation,

trustee,

agency,

or

receiver

.

29

9.

“Place

of

business”

means

any

place

where

tobacco

30

products

are

sold

or

where

tobacco

products

,

alternative

31

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

are

manufactured,

stored,

32

or

kept

for

the

purpose

of

sale

or

consumption,

including

any

33

vessel,

vehicle,

airplane,

train,

or

vending

machine;

or

for

34

a

business

within

or

without

the

state

that

conducts

delivery

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sales,

any

place

where

alternative

nicotine

products

or

vapor

1

products

are

sold

or

where

alternative

nicotine

products

or

2

vapor

products

are

kept

for

the

purpose

of

sale,

including

3

delivery

sales.

4

10.

“Retail

outlet”

means

each

place

of

business

from

which

5

tobacco

products

,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

6

products

are

sold

to

consumers.

7

12.

“Sale”

means

any

transfer,

exchange,

or

barter,

in

any

8

manner

or

by

any

means

whatsoever,

for

a

consideration,

and

9

includes

and

means

all

sales

made

by

any

person.

It

includes

10

a

gift

by

a

person

engaged

in

the

business

of

selling

tobacco

11

products,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

12

for

advertising,

as

a

means

of

evading

the

provisions

of

this

13

subchapter

,

or

for

any

other

purposes

whatsoever.

14

14.

“Storage”

means

any

keeping

or

retention

of

tobacco

15

products

,

alternative

nicotine

products,

or

vapor

products

for

16

use

or

consumption

in

this

state.

17

17.

“Use”

means

the

exercise

of

any

right

or

power

18

incidental

to

the

ownership

of

tobacco

products

or

vapor

19

products

.

20

Sec.

18.

Section

453A.45,

subsection

3,

Code

2026,

is

21

amended

to

read

as

follows:

22

3.

Every

retailer

and

subjobber

shall

procure

itemized

23

invoices

of

all

tobacco

products

,

alternative

nicotine

24

products,

and

vapor

products

purchased.

The

invoices

shall

25

show

the

name

and

address

of

the

seller

and

the

date

of

26

purchase.

The

retailer

and

subjobber

shall

preserve

a

legible

27

copy

of

each

invoice

for

three

years

from

the

date

of

purchase.

28

Invoices

shall

be

available

for

inspection

by

the

director

or

29

the

director’s

authorized

agents

or

employees

at

the

retailer’s

30

or

subjobber’s

place

of

business.

31

Sec.

19.

Section

453A.48,

subsection

3,

Code

2026,

is

32

amended

to

read

as

follows:

33

3.

The

director

may

exchange

information

with

the

officers

34

and

agencies

of

other

states

administering

laws

relating

to

the

35

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taxation

of

tobacco

products

or

vapor

products

.

1

Sec.

20.

Section

453A.51,

Code

2026,

is

amended

to

read

as

2

follows:

3

453A.51

Assessment

of

cost

of

audit.

4

The

department

may

employ

auditors

or

other

persons

to

5

audit

and

examine

the

books

and

records

of

a

permit

holder

or

6

other

person

dealing

in

tobacco

products

and

vapor

products

7

to

ascertain

whether

the

permit

holder

or

other

person

has

8

paid

the

amount

of

the

taxes

required

to

be

paid

by

the

permit

9

holder

or

other

person

under

the

provisions

of

this

chapter

.

10

If

the

taxes

have

not

been

paid,

as

required,

the

department

11

shall

assess

against

the

permit

holder

or

other

person,

as

12

additional

penalty,

the

reasonable

expenses

and

costs

of

the

13

investigation

and

audit.

14

EXPLANATION

15

The

inclusion

of

this

explanation

does

not

constitute

agreement

with

16

the

explanation’s

substance

by

the

members

of

the

general

assembly.

17

This

bill

increases

the

tax

on

cigarettes

and

vapor

18

products.

19

DIVISION

I

——

CIGARETTE

AND

VAPOR

PRODUCT

TAXATION.

The

20

bill

increases

the

cigarette

tax

from

6.8

cents

per

cigarette

21

to

14.3

cents

per

cigarette.

The

overall

tax

on

a

pack

of

22

cigarettes

(20

cigarettes)

goes

from

$1.36

to

$2.86.

The

bill

23

also

raises

the

tax

on

loose

tobacco

products

inserted

into

a

24

vending

machine

from

which

assembled

cigarettes

are

dispensed.

25

The

tax

is

increased

from

3.06

cents

on

each

cigarette

26

dispensed

from

the

vending

machine

to

6.43

cents.

27

Currently,

a

tax

is

imposed

on

the

distributor

of

all

tobacco

28

products

(excluding

cigarettes,

little

cigars,

and

snuff)

at

29

a

rate

of

22

percent

of

the

wholesale

sales

price

under

Code

30

section

453A.43(1)(a)

and

at

a

rate

of

28

percent

under

Code

31

section

453A.43(1)(b)

for

a

combined

rate

of

50

percent.

The

32

bill

applies

this

combined

50

percent

wholesale

tax

rate

to

the

33

wholesale

sales

price

on

vapor

products.

Vapor

products

remain

34

subject

to

sales

and

use

taxes.

35

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By

increasing

the

cigarette

tax

in

the

bill,

the

inventory

1

tax

is

also

assessed

on

cigarettes

remaining

in

inventories

2

taxed

under

the

previous

tax

rate

that

is

equal

to

the

3

difference

between

the

previous

tax

rate

and

the

new

tax

rate.

4

The

bill

also

imposes

the

inventory

tax

on

vapor

products

5

remaining

in

inventories

that

have

not

been

taxed

under

the

new

6

tax

that

is

equal

to

the

difference

between

the

previous

tax

7

rate

and

the

new

tax

rate.

8

DIVISION

II

——

CONFORMING

CHANGES.

The

bill

makes

9

numerous

conforming

changes

including

inserting

references

to

10

alternative

nicotine

products

in

some

instances

where

vapor

11

product

references

are

inserted.

Alternative

nicotine

products

12

are

not

subject

to

additional

taxation

in

the

bill.

13

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