A bill introduced into the Hawaii Senate on Friday is seeking to keep new tobacco and e-cigarette stores from opening near schools, public parks, or public housing complexes.

S.B. 2304 was introduced by six state senators, and if passed would require any new tobacco specialty shop to be at least 750 feet from the designated places. Should it pass, violators would face a fine of $500 for the first day of offense, while any subsequent days of offense comes with a fine between $500 and $2,000.

It was the second piece of anti-tobacco legislation introduced on Friday, as another bill seeks to end the shipment of tobacco to individuals in the state.

The bill has not yet been referred to a committee. If it were to pass, the ban would take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.