20250SB__075895AMD INTRODUCED 2025-02-21 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-01-05 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-01-15 AMENDED_SENATE 2026-01-22 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-06-24 2025 SB AMD Introduced by Senator Umberg (Coauthor: Assembly Member Addis) LEAD_AUTHOR SENATE Umberg COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis

An act to add

Section to the Business and Professions Code, relating to public health. public health Public health: nitrous oxide.

(1) Existing law, the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003, requires a retailer, as defined, to hold a license from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products. A violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor. This bill would expand those provisions to prohibit a retailer from selling nitrous oxide in any retail location, subject to certain exceptions. The bill would authorize a city or county or city and county to adopt an ordinance imposing greater restrictions on the retail sale of nitrous oxide provided the ordinance does not restrict legitimate uses, as specified.

(2) By expanding the definition of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. MAJORITY NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section is added to the Business and Professions Code , to read: 22984. (

a) A retailer shall not sell nitrous oxide, as defined in

Section 381c of the Penal Code, at a retail location. For purposes of this section, a retailer does not include a grocery store or a general retail merchandise store with a grocery department, as defined in

Section of the Civil Code, except that a retailer includes a convenience store. (

b) A city or county, or city and county, may adopt an ordinance imposing greater restrictions on the retail sale of nitrous oxide than those imposed by this

section provided that the ordinance does not restrict legitimate uses, including, but not limited to, dentistry, food preparation, and automotive services.

SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to

Section of

Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of

Section of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of

Section of

Article XIII B of the California Constitution.