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Breaking a political logjam, the state Assembly on Thursday approved a package of anti-tobacco bills, including measures that would raise the legal smoking age from 18 to 21 in California and ban the use of electronic cigarettes in restaurants, theaters and other public places where traditional smoking is prohibited. Lawmakers cited the health risks of tobacco in approving six bills and sending them to the state Senate, which had previously acted on the smoking-age and vaping bills but must now vote on minor amendments. (McGreevy and Mason, 3/3)

After months of inaction, the state Assembly on Thursday approved a package of sweeping tobacco-control bills that would regulate the manufacture and sale of electronic cigarettes and make California the nation's second state to increase the legal smoking age from 18 to 21. Lawmakers also approved bills that would allow counties to enact local cigarette taxes, close loopholes in existing smoke-free workplace laws and require that all K-12 schools be tobacco-free. (Calefati and Early, 3/3)

California lawmakers Thursday approved a bill that would raise the tobacco purchase age to 21, setting it on the path to be the first major state to adopt the measure. The legislation was part of a package of tobacco measures—including restrictions on electronic cigarettes—that stalled last year. The bills were revived by their authors after Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown called a special session to address statewide health-care issues. (Mickle and Lazo, 3/3)

A statewide ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21 cleared a [Massachusetts] legislative committee on Thursday, and supporters said they were hopeful for final passage within months. Boston recently raised the legal age for tobacco purchases from 18 to 21, joining dozens of communities around the state that have made the change in recent years and building momentum for a uniform statewide law. (Salsberg, 3/3)