Kansas: On May 1, the Kansas Senate passed and sent to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius a bill requiring cigarettes sold in the State after July 1, 2009 to meet low ignition propensity (LIP) that enable the cigarette to self-extinguish if left unattended. Fire-safety advocates are pushing for the LIP standards across the country.  AWMA is in favor of a nationwide LIP standard.

Tennessee:  The Tennessee House of Representatives has sent Gov. Phil Bredesen a bill for approval requiring that all cigarettes sold in the State meet low ignition propensity (LIP) standards, according to the Associated Press.

South Carolina:  In South Carolina, the State House is reviewing a bill that would require all cigarettes sold in the State to comply with low ignition propensity (LIP) standards effective January 1, 2010. Under the bill, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers who sell cigarettes that do not meet LIP standards after the law takes effect would face a fine of $100 per pack of cigarettes sold or offered for sale, reports the Associated Press.  South Carolina is one of 12 States currently considering LIP legislation in 2008.