Bills vs. tobacco/e-cigarette youth use and illegal dumping now law | Local News

HAGATNA, Guam—Three bills sponsored by Sen. Sabina Flores Perez were signed into law, marking significant milestones in the legislation addressing illegal dumping and the epidemic of tobacco/nicotine use amongst our youth.

Bill 171-37 (COR), now Public Law 37-77, aims to deter illegal dumping by basing fines on the amount dumped rather than the number of violations, thus correcting a potential issue in which violators could have been penalized with a fixed fine , regardless of the amount dumped.

Additionally, the Public Law 37-77 authorizes GEPA to establish a rewards program for those who report illegal dumping that leads to imposition of fines, thus expanding enforcement capacity.

“Illegal dumping is not only an encumbrance on the beauty of our island, but also affects our livelihoods. It could leave hazards in our environment if left unchecked and could also impact our lands, our waters, and the health of our people,” said Perez.

Bills 186-37(LS) and 187-37(LS), now Public Laws 37-78 and 37-79 respectively, are a series of measures created to address the epidemic of e-cigarette use amongst our youth that can have lasting health impacts. Public Law 37-78 redistributes the collection of tobacco fees and penalties, including compliance and enforcement penalties, to directly fund government programs that administer tobacco, nicotine and e-cigarette compliance, monitoring, prevention and education programs. Public Law 37-79 prohibits the sale of tobacco and nicotine products and e-cigarettes through vending machines to prevent access by youth to highly addictive substances.

Perez thanks Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero, her colleagues, and the community for their support in recognizing the importance of promoting greater stewardship of our people and the environment. (PR)