Alabama’s Senate Bill 9 would update the state’s indoor air quality laws by treating e-cigarettes and other vaping devices the same as traditional tobacco smoking in indoor public places. Sponsored by Sen. Gerald Allen (R), the bill is set for review by the Healthcare Committee and would rename the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act in honor of civil rights attorney and public health advocate Vivian Davis Figures.
The legislation expands the definition of “smoking” to include vaping, banning e-cigarette use in the same indoor locations where smoking is already prohibited, including workplaces, restaurants, government buildings, schools, hospitals, retail spaces, airports, and public transport. SB9 does not add new penalties or enforcement powers, but applies existing rules to vaping, requiring businesses to update signage and policies while leaving sales, flavors, age limits, and outdoor use unchanged.