The Utah Senate has passed a bill that will raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 19 to 21-years-old, sending it back to the House of Representatives to see if they will concur with its amendments.

H.B. 324 passed the Senate by a 15-12 vote, with two members absent or not voting. The bill picked up an amendment that will keep the age at 19-years-old for active members of the military, their spouses and dependents. While an exemption for active duty military members has become somewhat common in similar legislation across the country, extending that to spouses and dependents is unique.

Rep. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, the bill’s sponsor, told the Salt Lake Tribune that he saw the amendment as a compromise.

The bill has been placed on the House’s Concurrence Calendar and is awaiting further action.

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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.