Source: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVersionsCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=200320040AB71
Timestamp: 2019-07-16 23:37:22
Document Index: 31374965

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 30', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 13', 'art.\n30216', 'art 13', 'art 13', 'art 13']

PDF2 Add To My Favorites | Version: 10/12/03 - Chaptered 09/10/03 - Enrolled 09/08/03 - Amended Senate 09/04/03 - Amended Senate 08/25/03 - Amended Senate 07/24/03 - Amended Senate 07/14/03 - Amended Senate 06/19/03 - Amended Senate 05/21/03 - Amended Assembly 05/19/03 - Amended Assembly 04/10/03 - Amended Assembly 12/13/02 - Introduced
AB-71 Tobacco products: state and local government.(2003-2004)
Current Version: 10/12/03 - Chaptered Compared to Version: 10/12/03 - Chaptered 09/10/03 - Enrolled 09/08/03 - Amended Senate 09/04/03 - Amended Senate 08/25/03 - Amended Senate 07/24/03 - Amended Senate 07/14/03 - Amended Senate 06/19/03 - Amended Senate 05/21/03 - Amended Assembly 05/19/03 - Amended Assembly 04/10/03 - Amended Assembly 12/13/02 - Introduced
AB71:v88#DOCUMENT
Assembly Bill No. 71
An act to add and repeal Division 8.6 (commencing with Section 22970) of the Business and Professions Code, to add Section 15618.5 to the Government Code, to amend Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code, to amend, repeal, and add Section 830.11 of the Penal Code, and to amend Sections 30436, 30449, 30471, 30473.5, 30474, and 30481 of, to add Sections 30019, 30165.1, 30166.1, 30177.5, and 30482 to, to add and repeal Sections 30435 and 30474.1 of, to add and repeal Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 30210) of Chapter 4 of Part 13 of Division 2 of, and to add and repeal Article 5 (commencing with Section 30355) of Chapter 5 of Part 13 of Division 2 of, the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to cigarettes and tobacco products, and making an appropriation therefor.
AB 71, Jerome Horton. Tobacco products: state and local government.
(1) The Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law requires distributors and wholesalers of cigarette and tobacco products to be licensed by the State Board of Equalization. The Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law also requires a tax imposed by that law with respect to distributions of cigarettes to be paid by distributors through the use of stamps or meter register settings, and requires that these stamps or meter register settings be affixed to each package of cigarettes sold. Existing law further provides that the possession, selling, or buying of false or fraudulent stamps or meter register settings with a tax value greater than $750 is a crime.
This bill would create the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003 to provide for the licensure by the State Board of Equalization of manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, importers, and retailers of cigarette or tobacco products that are engaged in business in California. The bill would prohibit retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers from distributing or selling those cigarette and tobacco products unless they are licensed. The bill would authorize the board to suspend or revoke the license of any manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, importer, or retailer of tobacco products that is in violation of the bill’s provisions. The bill would prohibit a manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, importer, retailer, or any other person from selling counterfeit cigarette and tobacco products and would provide that a violation of that prohibition is a crime. The bill would impose specified fines or imprisonment for possessing, selling, or buying false or fraudulent cigarette tax stamps.
The bill also would require manufacturers and importers of cigarette products that provide those products to distributors or wholesalers to pay the board a fee for cigarettes sold in this state.
The bill would require all moneys collected pursuant to its provisions to be deposited in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund, which would be created in the State Treasury, and all funds therein would be available for appropriation by the Legislature solely for the purpose of implementing, enforcing, and administering the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003. This bill would appropriate from that fund the amount of $11,000,000, subject to specified conditions, for the 2003–04 fiscal year for the purpose of implementing, enforcing, and administering the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003.
This bill would repeal the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003, effective January 1, 2010.
(2) Existing law provides that all records, with specified exceptions, of the Department of Motor Vehicles are confidential and are not open to public inspection.
This bill would authorize the State Board of Equalization to obtain copies of photographs of California licensees from the Department of Motor Vehicles for the purpose of enforcing California’s tax laws.
(3) Existing law requires the State Board of Equalization to administer various taxes and fees, including taxes with respect to cigarettes and tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, motor vehicle fuel, and diesel fuel, among others.
This bill would authorize persons designated by the Executive Director of the State Board of Equalization to exercise the arrest powers of a peace officer in the enforcement of the taxes and fees administered by the State Board of Equalization. This bill would repeal this authorization, effective January 1, 2010.
(4) Under existing law, states’ attorneys general and various tobacco product manufacturers have entered into a Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), in settlement of various lawsuits, that provides for the allocation of money to the states and certain territories. The state has entered into a memorandum of understanding providing for the allocation of the state’s share of moneys to be received under the MSA between the state and counties and certain cities in the state. Existing law requires any tobacco product manufacturer selling cigarettes to consumers in California to place specified amounts into a qualified escrow fund by April 15 of each year.
This bill would make technical amendments to the provision of the MSA that governs the release of money placed in qualified escrow funds.
This bill would require the Attorney General to develop and post on the Attorney General’s Internet Web site a list of tobacco product manufacturers that have provided current and accurate certifications in accordance with the requirements of the bill. This bill would require the Attorney General’s Web site to also include all brand families, as defined, that have been listed in the certifications. The bill would prohibit any tax stamp or meter impression to be affixed unless the tobacco product manufacturer and brand family in question is included on the Attorney General’s list. The bill would give the Attorney General and the board specified authority and duties in this regard. This bill would impose specified penalties, applicable to a tobacco product manufacturer or distributor, for failure to comply with the various provisions of the bill, including civil penalties. The bill would also make it a misdemeanor for a tobacco product manufacturer to make specified false representations, or for any person to (a) sell or otherwise distribute cigarettes in violation of the bill, or (b) acquire, hold, own, possess, transport, import, or cause cigarettes to be imported in violation of the bill, thus creating a state-mandated local program. The bill would deem it to be unfair competition for any person to affix any tax stamp or meter impression, or to pay any tax in violation of the requirements of the bill. The bill would provide for disgorgement of any profits, gains, gross receipts, or other benefits from a violation of the bill, as specified. The bill would require those moneys to be paid as restitution, with any residue to be paid into the Tobacco Control Special Fund created by the bill.
(5) Existing law requires that certain cigarette and tobacco products be forfeited to the state under specified circumstances, upon seizure by the board.
This bill would add to the forfeiture list cigarette and tobacco products to which cigarette tax stamps or meter impressions are affixed in violation of the specified prohibitions under the MSA.
(6) This bill would also establish procedures under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law for imposing taxes on sellers of black-market cigarettes and tobacco products, and procedures for the seizure and sale of property secured by liens for delinquencies under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law. This bill would repeal the provisions authorizing those procedures, effective January 1, 2010.
(7) This bill would provide that this act does not preempt or supersede any local tobacco control laws or ordinances other than those laws or ordinances that are related to the collection of the taxes imposed under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law.
(8) This bill would provide that all revenues and expenses generated by this act with respect to the taxes imposed under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law shall be allocated in the same manner as those revenues and expenses are allocated under the existing Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law. (9) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
Division 8.6 (commencing with Section 22970) is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:
For purpose of this division, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(b) “Importer” means an importer as defined in Section 30019 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(c) “Distributor” means a distributor as defined in Section 30011 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(d) “Manufacturer” means a manufacturer of cigarettes sold in this state.
(e) “Retailer” means a person who engages in this state in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products directly to the public from a retail location. Retailer includes a person who operates vending machines from which cigarettes or tobacco products are sold in this state.
(f) “Retail location” means both of the following:
(g) “Wholesaler” means a wholesaler as defined in Section 30016 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(h) “Cigarette” means a cigarette as defined in Section 30003 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(i) “License” means a license issued by the board pursuant to this division.
(j) “Licensee” means any person holding a license issued by the board pursuant to this division.
(k) “Sale” or “sold” means a sale as defined in Section 30006 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(l) “Tobacco products” means tobacco products as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 30121 and subdivision (b) of Section 30131.1 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(m) “Unstamped package of cigarettes” means a package of cigarettes that does not bear a tax stamp as required under Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, including a package of cigarettes that bears a tax stamp of another state or taxing jurisdiction, a package of cigarettes that bears a counterfeit tax stamp, or a stamped or unstamped package of cigarettes that is marked “Not for sale in the United States.”
(n) “Person” means a person as defined in Section 30010 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(o) “Package of cigarettes” means a package as defined in Section 30015 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(p) (1) “Control” or “controlling” means possession, direct or indirect, of the power:
(B) To direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract (other than a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services), or otherwise provided; however, no individual shall be deemed to control a person solely on account of being a director, officer, or employee of such person.
(2) For purposes of subparagraph (B) of this subdivision, a person who, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds, with the power to vote, or holds proxies representing 10 percent or more of the then outstanding voting securities issued by another person, is presumed to control such other person.
(q) “Law enforcement agency” means a sheriff, a police department, or a city, county, or city and county agency or department designated by the governing body of that agency to enforce this chapter or to enforce local smoking and tobacco ordinances and regulations.
(a) Commencing June 30, 2004, a retailer shall have in place and maintain a license to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products. A retailer that owns or controls more than one retail location shall obtain a separate license for each retail location, but may submit a single application for those licenses.
(b) The retailer shall conspicuously display the license at each retail location in a manner visible to the public.
(c) A license is not assignable or transferable. A person who obtains a license as a retailer who ceases to do business as specified in the license, or who never commenced business, or whose license is suspended or revoked, shall immediately surrender the license to the board.
(d) A license shall be valid for a 12-month period, and shall be renewed annually.
(4) If any other licenses or permits have been issued by the board or the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to the applicant, the license or permit number of such licenses or permits then in effect.
(2) The one-time fee required by this subdivision does not apply to an application for renewal of a license for a retail location for which the one-time license fee has already been paid.
22973.1.
(a) The board shall issue a license to a retailer upon receipt of a completed application and payment of the fees prescribed in Section 22973, unless any of the following apply:
(1) The retailer, or if the retailer is not an individual, any person controlling the retailer, has previously been issued a license that is suspended or revoked by the board for violation of any of the provisions of this division.
(2) The application is for a license or renewal of a license for a retail location that is the same retail location as that of a retailer whose license was revoked or is subject to revocation proceedings for violation of any of the provisions of this division, unless:
(A) It has been more than five years since a previous license for the retail location was revoked.
(B) The person applying for the license provides the board with documentation demonstrating that the applicant has acquired or is acquiring the premises or business in an arm’s length transaction. For purposes of this section, an “arm’s length transaction” is defined as a sale in good faith and for valuable consideration that reflects the fair market value in the open market between two informed and willing parties, neither under any compulsion to participate in the transaction. A sale between relatives, related companies or partners, or a sale for the primary purpose of avoiding the effect of the violations of this division that occurred at the retail location, is presumed not to be made at “arm’s length.”
(3) The retailer, or if the retailer is not an individual, any person controlling the retailer, has been convicted of a felony pursuant to Section 30473 or 30480 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(4) The retailer does not possess all required permits or licenses required under the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) (1) Any retailer who is denied a license may petition for a redetermination of the board’s denial of the license within 30 days after service upon that retailer of the notice of the denial of the license. If a petition for redetermination is not filed within the 30-day period, the determination of denial becomes final at the expiration of the 30-day period.
(2) Every petition for redetermination shall be in writing and shall state the specific grounds upon which the petition is founded. The petition may be amended to state additional grounds at anytime prior to the date on which the board issues its order or decision upon the petition for redetermination.
(3) If the petition for redetermination is filed within the 30-day period, the board shall reconsider the determination of the denial and, if the retailer has so requested in the petition, shall grant the retailer an oral hearing and shall give the retailer at least 10 days’ notice of the time and place of the hearing. The board may continue the hearing from time to time as may be necessary.
(4) The order or decision of the board upon a petition for redetermination becomes final 30 days after mailing of notice thereof.
(5) Any notice required by this subdivision shall be served personally or by mail. If by mail, the notice shall be placed in a sealed envelope, with postage paid, addressed to the retailer at the address as it appears in the records of the board. The giving of notice shall be deemed complete at the time of deposit of the notice in the United States Post Office, or a mailbox, subpost office, substation or mail chute or other facility regularly maintained or provided by the United States Postal Service, without extension of time for any reason. In lieu of mailing, a notice may be served personally by delivering to the person to be served and service shall be deemed complete at the time of such delivery. Personal service to a corporation may be made by delivery of a notice to any person designated in the Code of Civil Procedure to be served for the corporation with summons and complaint in a civil action.
22973.2.
The board shall, upon request, provide to the State Department of Health Services, the office of the Attorney General, a law enforcement agency, and any agency authorized to enforce local tobacco control ordinances, access to the board’s database of licenses issued to retailers within the jurisdiction of that agency or law enforcement agency. The agencies authorized by this section to access the board’s database shall only access and use the board’s database for purposes of enforcing tobacco control laws and shall adhere to all state laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to the protection of personal information and individual privacy.
A retailer shall retain purchase invoices that meet the requirements set forth in Section 22978.4 for all cigarettes or tobacco products the retailer purchased for a period of four years. The records shall be kept at the retail location for at least one year after the purchase. Invoices shall be made available upon request during normal business hours for review inspection and copying by the board or by a law enforcement agency. Any retailer found in violation of these requirements or any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to retain or make available invoices for inspection and copying in accordance with this section shall be subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
22974.3.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, upon discovery by the board or a law enforcement agency that a retailer or any other person possesses, stores, owns, or has made a retail sale of an unstamped package of cigarettes, the board or the law enforcement agency shall be authorized to seize unstamped packages of cigarettes at the retail, or any other person’s location. Any cigarettes seized by a law enforcement agency shall be delivered to the board, or its designee, within seven days, unless the cigarettes will be destroyed by that law enforcement agency, or unless the cigarettes are otherwise required to be used as evidence in an administrative, criminal, or civil proceeding, or as part of an ongoing law enforcement operation. Any cigarettes seized by the board or delivered to the board by a law enforcement agency shall be deemed forfeited and the board shall comply with procedures set forth in Part 13 (commencing with Section 30436) of Division 2 of Chapter 7.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. In addition to the inventory of unstamped packages of cigarettes of a retailer or of any other person that is subject to forfeiture and seizure, the possession, storage, ownership, or retail sales of unstamped packages of cigarettes by a retailer or other person, as applicable, shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by the following actions:
(b) Upon discovery by the board or a law enforcement agency that a retailer or any other person possesses, stores, owns, or has made a retail sale of tobacco products on which tax is due but has not been paid to the board, the board or law enforcement agency is authorized to seize such tobacco products at the retail, or any other person’s location. Any tobacco products seized by a law enforcement agency shall be delivered to the board, or its designee, within seven days, unless otherwise required to be used as evidence in an administrative, criminal, or civil proceeding, or as part of an ongoing law enforcement operation. Any tobacco products seized by the board or delivered to the board by a law enforcement agency shall be deemed forfeited and the board shall comply with procedures set forth in Part 13 (commencing with Section 30436) of Division 2 of Chapter 7.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. It shall be presumed that tax has not been paid to the board on all tobacco products in the possession of a retailer or of any other person until the contrary is established by a proof of payment to the board or by a purchase invoice that shows that the retailer or other person, as applicable, paid the tax included purchase price to a licensed distributor, wholesaler, manufacturer, or importer as described in Section 22978.4. The burden of proof that tax has been paid on tobacco products shall be upon the retailer or the other person, as applicable, in possession thereof. Possession of untaxed tobacco products on which tax is due but has not been paid as required is a violation of this division and subjects the retailer or other person, as applicable, to the actions described in Section 22981.
22974.4.
The board shall revoke the license, pursuant to the provisions applicable to the revocation of a license as set forth in Section 30148 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, of any retailer or any person controlling the retailer that has:
(a) Been convicted of a felony pursuant to Section 30473 or 30480 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) Had any permit or license revoked under any provision of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
22974.5.
Any retailer who fails to display a license as required in Section 22972 shall, in addition to any other applicable penalty, be liable for a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500).
22974.7.
In addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law, upon a finding that a retailer has violated any provision of this division, the board may take the following actions:
(a) In the case of the first offense, the board may revoke or suspend the license or licenses of the retailer pursuant to the procedures applicable to the revocation of a license set forth in Section 30148 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) In the case of a second or any subsequent offense, in addition to the action authorized under subdivision (a), the board may impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the greater of either of the following:
(1) Five times the retail value of the cigarettes or tobacco products.
22974.8.
(a) (1) The board shall take action against a retailer, convicted of a violation of either the Stake Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950) or Section 308 of the Penal Code, according to the schedule set forth in subdivision (b).
(2) Convictions of violations by a retailer at one retail location may not be accumulated against other locations of that same retailer.
(3) Convictions of violations accumulated against a prior retail owner at a licensed location may not be accumulated against a new retail owner at the same retail location.
(4) Prior to suspending or revoking a retailer’s license to sell cigarette and tobacco products, the board shall notify the retailer. The notice shall include instructions for appealing the license suspension or revocation.
(b) (1) Upon the first conviction of a violation of either the STAKE Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950) or Section 308 of the Penal Code, the retailer shall receive a warning letter from the board that delineates the circumstances under which a retailer’s license may by suspended or revoked and the amount of time the license may be suspended or revoked. The retailer and its employees shall receive training on tobacco control laws from the Department of Health Services upon a first conviction.
(2) Upon the second conviction of a violation of either the STAKE Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950)) or Section 308 of the Penal Code within 12 months, the retailer shall be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500).
(3) Upon the third conviction of a violation of either the STAKE Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950)) or Section 308 of the Penal Code within 12 months, the retailer shall be subject to a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(4) Upon the fourth to the seventh conviction of a violation of either the STAKE Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950)) or Section 308 of the Penal Code within 12 months, the board shall suspend the retailer’s license to sell cigarette and tobacco products for 90 days.
(5) Upon the eighth conviction of a violation of the STAKE Act (Division 8.5 (commencing with Section 22950) or Section 308 of the Penal Code within 24 months, the board shall revoke the retailer’s license to sell cigarette and tobacco products.
(c) The decision of the board to suspend or revoke the retailer’s license may be appealed to the board within 30 days after the notice of suspension or revocation. All appeals shall be submitted in writing.
(d) The board’s authority to take action against retailers, as set forth in this section, commences on the date of the release of the results from the survey undertaken by the Department of Health Services pursuant to Section 22952 of the Business and Professions Code Section 22952 to comply with Section 1926 of Title XIX of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-26), and any implementing regulations adopted in relation thereto by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, showing that the youth purchase survey finds that 13 percent or more of youth were able to purchase cigarettes. The board’s authority to take action under this section is inoperative on or after the date of the subsequent release of the results from the survey showing that less than 13 percent of youth were able to purchase cigarettes.
CHAPTER 3. License for Wholesalers and Distributors of Cigarettes and Tobacco Products
(a) In addition to licenses required pursuant to Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, commencing June 30, 2004, every distributor and every wholesaler shall annually obtain and maintain a license to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products.
(b) Licenses shall be valid for a calendar year period upon payment of the fee prescribed in Section 22977.1, unless surrendered, suspended, or revoked prior to the end of the calendar year, and may be renewed each year upon payment of such fee.
(c) A license is not assignable or transferable. A person who obtains a license as a distributor or as a wholesaler who ceases to do business as specified in the license, or who never commenced business, or whose license is suspended or revoked, shall immediately surrender the license to the board.
A distributor or a wholesaler that, at the time of application, holds a valid license issued by the board pursuant to Section 30140 or 30155 of the Revenue and Taxation Code may be issued a license without further investigation.
(a) An application for a license shall be on a form prescribed by the board and shall include the following:
(2) The business name, address, and telephone number of each location where cigarettes or tobacco products will be sold. For applicants who control more than one location, an address for receipt of correspondence or notices from the board, such as a headquarters or corporate office, shall also be included in the application and listed on the license. Citations issued to licensees shall be forwarded to all addressees on the license.
(4) If any other licenses or permits have been issued by the board or the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to the applicant, the license or permit numbers for such licenses or permits then in effect.
(6) Signature of the applicant.
(b) The board may investigate to determine the truthfulness and completeness of the information provided in the application.
22977.1.
(a) Every distributor and every wholesaler shall file an application, as prescribed in Section 22977, on or before April 15, 2004. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each location. The fee shall be for a calendar year and may not be prorated. Subject to meeting the requirements of this section and Section 22977.2, the board shall issue a license.
(b) Every distributor and every wholesaler who commences business after the last day of May 2004, or who commences selling or distributing cigarettes or tobacco products at a new or different place of business in this state after the last day of May 2004, shall file with the board an application as prescribed in Section 22977 at least 30 days prior to commencing such business or commencing such sales or distributions; and all distributors and all wholesalers that fail to timely file an application for a license under subdivision (a) shall file with the board an application as prescribed in Section 22977. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each location. The fee shall be for a calendar year and may not be prorated. Subject to Section 22977.2, the board, within 30 days after receipt of an application and payment of the proper fee shall issue a license.
(c) For calendar years beginning on and after January 1, 2005, every distributor and every wholesaler shall file an application for renewal of the license prescribed in Section 22977, accompanied with a fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each location where cigarettes and tobacco products are sold, in the form and manner as prescribed by the board.
22977.2.
(a) The board shall issue a license to a distributor or a wholesaler upon receipt of a completed application and payment of the fee prescribed in Section 22977.1, unless any of the following apply:
(1) The distributor or the wholesaler, or if the distributor or the wholesaler is not an individual, any person controlling the distributor or the wholesaler, has previously been issued a license that is suspended or revoked by the board for violation of any of the provisions of this division.
(2) The application is for a license or renewal of a license for a distributor or a wholesaler, whose license is revoked or revocation is pending, unless:
(A) It has been more than five years since a distributor’s or a wholesaler’s previous license was revoked.
(B) The person applying for the license provides the board with documentation demonstrating that the applicant has acquired or is acquiring the business in an arm’s length transaction. For purposes of this section, an “arm’s length transaction” is defined as a sale in good faith and for valuable consideration that reflects the fair market value in the open market between two informed and willing parties, neither under any compulsion to participate in the transaction. A sale of the business between relatives, related companies or partners, or a sale for the primary purpose of avoiding the effect of the violations of state tobacco control laws that were committed by the distributor or wholesaler is presumed not to be made at “arm’s length.”
(3) The distributor or the wholesaler, or if the distributor or the wholesaler is not an individual, any person controlling the distributor or the wholesaler has been convicted of a felony pursuant to Section 30473 or 30480 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) (1) Any distributor or any wholesaler who is denied a license may petition for a redetermination of the board’s denial of the license within 30 days after service upon that distributor or that wholesaler of the notice of the denial of the license. If a petition for redetermination is not filed within the 30-day period, the determination of denial becomes final at the expiration of the 30-day period.
(3) If the petition for redetermination is filed within the 30-day period, the board shall reconsider the determination of the denial and, if the distributor or the wholesaler has so requested in the petition, shall grant the distributor or wholesaler an oral hearing and shall give the distributor or the wholesaler at least 10 days’ notice of the time and place of the hearing. The board may continue the hearing from time to time as may be necessary.
(5) Any notice required by this subdivision shall be served personally or by mail. If by mail, the notice shall be placed in a sealed envelope, with postage paid, addressed to the distributor or the wholesaler at the address as it appears in the records of the board. The giving of notice shall be deemed complete at the time of deposit of the notice in the United States Post Office, or a mailbox, subpost office, substation or mail chute or other facility regularly maintained or provided by the United States Postal Service, without extension of time for any reason. In lieu of mailing, a notice may be served personally by delivering to the person to be served and service shall be deemed complete at the time of such delivery. Personal service to a corporation may be made by delivery of a notice to any person designated in the Code of Civil Procedure to be served for the corporation with summons and complaint in a civil action.
The board shall, upon request, provide to the State Department of Health Services, the office of the Attorney General, a law enforcement agency, and any agency authorized to enforce local tobacco control ordinances, access to the board’s database of licenses issued to distributors and wholesalers for locations within the jurisdiction of that agency or law enforcement agency. The agencies authorized by this section to access the board’s database shall only access and use the board’s database for purposes of enforcing tobacco control laws and shall adhere to all state laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to the protection of personal information and individual privacy.
22978.1.
All distributors and all wholesalers shall retain purchase records that meet the requirements set forth in Section 22978.5 for all cigarettes or tobacco products purchased. The records shall be maintained for a period of one year from the date of purchase on the distributor’s or the wholesaler’s premises identified in the license, and thereafter, the records shall be made available for inspection by the board or a law enforcement agency for a period of four years. Any distributor or any wholesaler found in violation of these requirements, or any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to retain or make available invoices for inspection and copying in accordance with this section shall be subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
22978.2.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, upon discovery by the board or a law enforcement agency that a distributor possesses, stores, owns, or has made a sale of an unstamped package of cigarettes bearing a counterfeit California state tax stamp or that a wholesaler possesses, stores, owns, or has made a sale of an unstamped package of cigarettes, the board or the law enforcement agency shall be authorized to seize the unstamped packages of cigarettes at the distributor’s or the wholesaler’s location. Any cigarettes seized by a law enforcement agency shall be delivered to the board, or its designee, within seven days, unless otherwise required to be used as evidence in an administrative, criminal, or civil proceeding, or as part of an ongoing law enforcement investigation. Any cigarettes seized by the board or delivered to the board by a law enforcement agency shall be deemed forfeited and the board shall comply with procedures set forth in Part 13 (commencing with Section 30436) of Division 2 of Chapter 7.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. In addition to the distributor’s or wholesaler’s inventory of unstamped packages of cigarettes being subject to seizure and forfeiture, the possession, storage, ownership or sale by a distributor or wholesaler of the unstamped package of cigarettes in the manner described above, shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by the following actions:
(1) A first violation involving seizure of a total quantity of less than 20 unstamped packages of cigarettes shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment.
(2) A second violation within five years involving seizure of a total quantity of less than 20 unstamped packages of cigarettes shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than two thousand dollars ($2,000) but not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment, and shall also result in the revocation of the license.
(3) A first violation involving seizure of a total quantity of 20 unstamped packages of cigarettes or more shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of two thousand dollars ($2,000) or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment.
(4) A second violation within five years involving seizure of a total quantity of 20 unstamped packages of cigarettes or more shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000) but not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment, and shall also result in the revocation of the license.
(b) Upon discovery by the board or a law enforcement agency that a distributor or a wholesaler possesses, stores, owns, or has made a sale of tobacco products on which tax is due but has not been paid to the board, or its designee, the board or law enforcement agency is authorized to seize such tobacco products at the distributor or wholesaler location. Any tobacco products seized by a law enforcement agency shall be delivered to the board within seven days, unless otherwise required to be used as evidence in an administrative, criminal, or civil proceeding, or as part of an ongoing law enforcement operation. Any tobacco products seized by the board or delivered to the board by a law enforcement agency shall be deemed forfeited and the board shall comply with procedures set forth in Part 13 (commencing with Section 30436) of Division 2 of Chapter 7.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. It shall be presumed that tax has not been paid to the board on all tobacco products in the possession of a distributor or a wholesaler until the contrary is established by the distributor’s proof of payment to the board or by a purchase invoice that shows that the wholesaler paid the tax included purchase price to a licensed distributor, wholesaler, manufacturer, or importer as described in Section 22978.4. The burden of proof that tax has been paid on tobacco products shall be upon the distributor or wholesaler in possession thereof. Possession by a distributor or a wholesaler of tobacco products on which tax is due but has not been paid as required is a violation of this division and subjects the distributor or wholesaler to the actions described in Section 22981.
(a) Each distributor and each wholesaler shall include the following information on each invoice for the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products:
(2) The license number of the distributor or the wholesaler as provided by the board.
(3) The amount of excise taxes due to the board by the distributor on the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products.
(4) The name, address, and license number of the retailer, distributor, or wholesaler to whom cigarettes or tobacco products are sold.
(b) Each invoice for the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products shall be legible and readable.
(c) Failure to comply with the requirements of this section shall be a misdemeanor subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
(a) Each distributor and each wholesaler of cigarette and tobacco products subject to licensing under this chapter shall maintain accurate and complete records relating to the sale of those products, including, but not limited to, receipts, invoices, and other records as may be required by the board, during the past four years with invoices for the past year to be maintained on the premises for which the license was issued, and shall make these records available upon request by a the board or a law enforcement agency.
(b) Failure of a distributor or a wholesaler to comply with this section shall be a misdemeanor subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
22978.6.
The board shall revoke the license, pursuant to the provisions applicable to the revocation of a license as set forth in Section 30148 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, of any distributor or any wholesaler or any person controlling any distributor or any wholesaler that has:
22978.7.
In addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law, upon a finding that any distributor or any wholesaler has violated any provision of this division, the board may take the following actions:
(a) In the case of the first offense, the board may revoke or suspend the license or licenses of the distributor or the wholesaler pursuant to the procedures applicable to the revocation of a license set forth in Section 30148 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
CHAPTER 4. License and Administration Fee for Manufacturers and Importers
(a) Commencing on January 1, 2004, every manufacturer and every importer, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 22971, shall obtain and maintain a license to engage in the sale of cigarettes. In order to be eligible for obtaining and maintaining a license under this division, a manufacturer or importer shall do all of the following in the manner specified by the board:
(1) Submit to the board a list of all brand families that they manufacture or import.
(2) Update the list of all brand families that they manufacture or import whenever a new or additional brand is manufactured or imported, or a listed brand is no longer manufactured or imported.
(3) Consent to jurisdiction of the California courts for the purpose of enforcement of this division and appoint a registered agent for service of process in this state and identify the registered agent to the board.
(b) In order to be eligible for obtaining and maintaining a license under this division, a manufacturer or importer that is a “tobacco product manufacturer” in subdivision (i) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code, shall do all of the following in the manner specified by the board:
(1) Certify to the board that it is a “participating manufacturer” as defined in subsection II(jj) of the “Master Settlement Agreement” (MSA), or is in full compliance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code. Any person who makes a certification pursuant to this subdivision that asserts the truth of any material matter that he or she knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in the county jail, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both the imprisonment and the fine.
(2) Submit to the board a list of all brand families that fit under the category applicable to the manufacturer or importer, in accordance with the following:
(A) Brand families that are to be counted, in the unit volume and market shares determined pursuant to subsections II(z) and II(mm) of the MSA and Exhibit E thereto, in calculating the manufacturer’s annual payments under the MSA.
(B) Brand families that are to be counted in calculating the manufacturer’s escrow deposits under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code.
(C) The manufacturer or importer shall update the list whenever a new or additional brand is manufactured or imported or a listed brand is no longer manufactured or imported.
(c) The board may not grant or permit the maintenance of a license to any manufacturer or an importer of cigarettes that does not affirmatively certify, both at the time the license is granted and annually thereafter, that all packages of cigarettes manufactured or imported by that person and distributed in this state fully comply with subdivision (b) of Section 30163 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and that the cigarettes contained in those packages are the subject of filed reports that fully comply with all requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 13355a et seq.) for the reporting of ingredients added to cigarettes.
(d) (1) Any manufacturer or any importer who is denied a license may petition for a redetermination of the board’s denial of the license within 30 days after service upon that manufacturer or that importer of the notice of the denial of the license. If a petition for redetermination is not filed within the 30-day period, the determination of denial becomes final at the expiration of the 30-day period.
(3) If the petition for redetermination is filed within the 30-day period, the board shall reconsider the determination of the denial and, if the manufacturer or the importer has so requested in the petition, shall grant an oral hearing and shall give the manufacturer or the importer at least 10 days’ notice of the time and place of the hearing. The board may continue the hearing from time to time as may be necessary.
(5) Any notice required by this subdivision shall be served personally or by mail. If by mail, the notice shall be placed in a sealed envelope, with postage paid, addressed to the manufacturer or the importer at the address as it appears in the records of the board. The giving of notice shall be deemed complete at the time of deposit of the notice in the United States Post Office, or a mailbox, subpost office, substation or mail chute or other facility regularly maintained or provided by the United States Postal Service, without extension of time for any reason. In lieu of mailing, a notice may be served personally by delivering to the person to be served and service shall be deemed complete at the time of such delivery. Personal service to a corporation may be made by delivery of a notice to any person designated in the Code of Civil Procedure to be served for the corporation with summons and complaint in a civil action.
22979.1.
(a) An application for a license by a manufacturer or by an importer shall be on a form prescribed by the board and shall include the following:
(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant. The business name, address, and telephone number of the corporate offices. Citations issued to licensees shall be forwarded to all addressees on the license.
(2) License number for any other valid licenses or permits issued by the board.
(3) Signature of the applicant under oath to verify application information.
(4) The name, address, and telephone number of the person designated by the manufacturer or the importer as its agent for receipt of service of process in this state.
(5) Any other information the board may require.
(b) The board may conduct an inquiry to determine whether the applicant complies with the provisions of this division.
22979.2.
(a) On or before January 1, 2004, every manufacturer and every importer shall pay to the board an administration fee. The amount of the administration fee shall be one cent ($0.01) per package of cigarettes (1) manufactured or imported by the manufacturer or the importer and (2) shipped into this state during the 2001 calendar year as reported to the board. The board shall notify each manufacturer and each importer of the amount due under this section.
(b) This section shall apply to every manufacturer and every importer required to be licensed pursuant to Section 22979. All manufacturers and all importers that may become eligible for licensure on or after December 1, 2003, shall be notified by the board of the appropriate fee due and shall pay that fee within 90 days of notification.
(c) All manufacturers and all importers that begin operations in the state after enactment of this division shall be charged a fee commensurate with their respective market share of (1) cigarettes manufactured or imported by the manufacturer and (2) sold in this state during the next calendar year as estimated by the board. The fee shall be at an amount not less than that paid pursuant to subdivision (a) by the smallest manufacturer, but may not be more than that paid by the eighth largest manufacturer.
(d) The board shall administer this fee in accordance with the Fee Collection Procedures Law, Part 30 (commencing with Section 55001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
22979.3.
The board shall, upon request, provide to the State Department of Health Services, the office of the Attorney General, a law enforcement agency, and any agency authorized to enforce local tobacco control ordinances, access to the board’s database of licenses issued to manufacturers and importers for locations within the jurisdiction of that agency or law enforcement agency. The agencies authorized by this section to access the board’s database shall only access and use the board’s database for purposes of enforcing tobacco control laws and shall adhere to all state laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to the protection of personal information and individual privacy.
22979.4.
All manufacturers and importers shall retain purchase records that meet the requirements set forth in Section 22979.5 for all cigarettes or tobacco products purchased and other records required by the board. The records shall be maintained for a period of one year from the date of purchase on the manufacturer’s or importer’s premises identified in the license, and thereafter, the records shall be made available for inspection by the board or a law enforcement agency for a period of four years. Any manufacturer or importer found in violation of these requirements, or any person who fails, refuses, or neglects to retain or make available invoices for inspection and copying in accordance with this section shall be subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
(a) Each manufacturer and each importer of cigarette and tobacco products subject to licensing under this chapter shall maintain accurate and complete records relating to the sale of those products, including, but not limited to, receipts, invoices, and other records as may be required by the board, during the past four years with invoices for the past year to be maintained on the premises for which the license was issued, and shall make these records available upon request by a representative of the board or a law enforcement agency.
(b) Failure of a manufacturer or an importer to comply with this section shall be a misdemeanor subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
(a) Each manufacturer and each importer shall include the following information on each invoice for the sale for distribution, wholesale, or retail sale of cigarettes or tobacco products:
(2) The license number of the manufacturer or importer as provided by the board.
(3) The name, address, and license number of the person to whom cigarettes or tobacco products are sold.
22979.7.
In addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law, upon a finding that a manufacturer or importer has violated any provision of this division, the board may take the following actions:
(a) In the case of the first offense, the board may revoke or suspend the license or licenses of the manufacturer or importer pursuant to the procedures applicable to the revocation of a license set forth in Section 30148 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(1) Five times the retail value of the cigarettes or tobacco products defined as cigarettes under this section.
CHAPTER 5. Inspections,Prohibitions, and Penalties
(a) (1) Any peace officer, or board employee granted limited peace officer status pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 830.11 of the Penal Code, upon presenting appropriate credentials, is authorized to enter any place as described in paragraph (3) and to conduct inspections in accordance with the following paragraphs, inclusive.
(2) Inspections shall be performed in a reasonable manner and at times that are reasonable under the circumstances, taking into consideration the normal business hours of the place to be entered.
(3) Inspections may be at any place at which cigarettes or tobacco products are sold, produced, or stored or at any site where evidence of activities involving evasion of cigarette or tobacco products tax may be discovered.
(b) Any person that refuses to allow an inspection shall be subject to the penalties imposed pursuant to Section 22981.
22980.1.
(a) No manufacturer shall sell cigarettes to a distributor, wholesaler, importer, retailer, or any other person who is not licensed pursuant to this division or whose license has been suspended or revoked.
(b) No distributor, wholesaler, or importer shall sell cigarettes or tobacco products to a retailer, wholesaler, distributor, or any other person who is not licensed pursuant to this division or whose license has been suspended or revoked.
(c) No retailer, distributor, wholesaler, or importer shall purchase packages of cigarettes from a manufacturer who is not licensed pursuant to this division or whose license has been suspended or revoked.
(d) No retailer, distributor, wholesaler, or importer shall purchase cigarettes or tobacco products from any person who is required to be licensed pursuant to this division but who is not licensed or whose license has been suspended or revoked.
(e) Each separate sale to, or by, a retailer, wholesaler, distributor, importer, manufacturer, or any other person who is not licensed pursuant to this division shall constitute a separate violation.
(f) No manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, or importer may sell cigarette or tobacco products to any retailer or wholesaler whose license has been suspended or revoked unless all outstanding debts of that retailer or wholesaler that are owed to a wholesaler or distributor for cigarette or tobacco products are paid and the license of that retailer or wholesaler has been reinstated by the board. Any payment received from a retailer or wholesaler shall be credited first to the outstanding debt for cigarettes or tobacco products and must be immediately reported to the board. The board shall determine the debt status of a suspended retailer or wholesaler licensee 25 days prior to the reinstatement of the license.
(g) No importer, distributor, or wholesaler, or distributor functioning as a wholesaler, or retailer, shall purchase, obtain, or otherwise acquire any package of cigarettes to which a stamp or meter impression may not be affixed in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 30163 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, or any cigarettes obtained from a manufacturer or importer that cannot demonstrate full compliance with all requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act (15 U.S.C. Sec. 13335a et seq.) for the reporting of ingredients added to cigarettes.
(h) Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be a misdemeanor subject to penalties pursuant to Section 22981.
(a) A person or entity that engages in the business of selling cigarettes or tobacco products in this state without a license or after a license has been suspended or revoked, and each officer of any corporation that so engages in business, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 22981.
(b) Each day after notification by a law enforcement agency that a manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, importer, retailer, or any other person required to be licensed under this act offers cigarette and tobacco products for sale or exchange without a valid license for the location from which they are offered for sale shall constitute a separate violation.
(c) Continued sales after a notification of suspension or revocation shall constitute a violation of Section 22981, and shall result in the seizure of all cigarettes and tobacco products in the possession of the person by the board or a law enforcement agency. Any cigarettes and tobacco products seized by the board or by a law enforcement agency shall be deemed forfeited.
22980.3.
(a) Licenses issued pursuant to this division shall be subject to suspension or revocation for violations of the provisions of this division or the Revenue and Taxation Code as provided in this section.
(1) In addition to any applicable fines or penalties for a violation, upon first conviction of a violation, a licensee shall receive a written notice from the board detailing the suspension and revocation provisions of this act. At its discretion, the board may also suspend a license for up to 30 days.
(2) In addition to any applicable fines or penalties for a violation, upon a second conviction of a violation within four years of a previous violation the license shall be revoked.
(b) The date of the occurrence of a violation shall be used to calculate the duration between subsequent violations. A violation shall be noted in the license record at the board only after judicial conviction or final adjudication of a violation. Upon updating a record for a violation triggering a suspension, the board shall serve the licensee with a notice of suspension and shall order the licenseholder to immediately cease the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products.
(c) Upon notice of suspension, the board shall serve the licensee with a notice of suspension and shall order the licensee to immediately cease the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products. Continued sales after the notification of suspension shall constitute a violation of the licensing provisions of this division and shall result in the revocation of a license.
(d) Upon completion of a suspension period, a license shall be reinstated by the board upon certification that all outstanding debts of that retailer or wholesaler that are owed to a wholesaler or distributor for the purchase of cigarette and tobacco products are paid.
(e) After a revocation, a previously licensed applicant may apply for a new license after six months. The board may, at its discretion, issue a new license.
(f) Upon updating a license record for a violation, suspension, or revocation to a license of a person or entity that owns or controls more than one location, the board shall send notice in writing of the violations, suspensions, or revocations within 15 days of the board’s action to the address included in the application and listed on the license for receipt of correspondence or notices from the board.
(g) Upon suspension or revocation of a license pursuant to this section, the board shall notify all licensed distributors and wholesalers by electronic mail within 48 hours of the suspension or revocation of that license. All licensed distributors and wholesalers shall provide the board and shall update, as necessary, an electronic mail address that the board can use for purposes of making the notifications required by this subdivision.
(h) Violations by a licensee at one location may not be accumulated against other locations of that same licensee. Violations accumulated against a prior owner at a licensed location may not be accumulated against a new owner at the same licensed location.
(i) For purposes of this section, a violation includes violations of the Revenue and Taxation Code relating to cigarettes and tobacco products, and violations of this division. Only one violation per discrete action shall be counted towards a suspension or revocation of a license.
Any violation of this division by any person, except as otherwise provided, is a misdemeanor. Each offense shall be punished by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisonment not exceeding one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment. The court shall order any fines assessed be deposited in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund.
Any prosecution for a violation of any of the penal provisions of this division shall be instituted within four years after the commission of the offense.
CHAPTER 7. Duration of Division
This division shall remain in effect until January 1, 2010, and as of that date shall be repealed.
Section 15618.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:
Notwithstanding Section 1808.5 of the Vehicle Code, the board, as a board, individually, or through its staff, may obtain copies of fullface engraved pictures or photographs of licensees directly from the Department of Motor Vehicles for the purposes of enforcing the Revenue and Taxation Code.
Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
104557.
(a) Any tobacco product manufacturer selling cigarettes to consumers within the state, whether directly or through a distributor, retailer or similar intermediary or intermediaries, after the date of enactment of this article shall do one of the following:
(1) Become a participating manufacturer as that term is defined in Section II(jj) of the Master Settlement Agreement and generally perform its financial obligations under the Master Settlement Agreement; or
(2) Place into a qualified escrow fund by April 15 of the year following the year in question the following amounts, as such amounts are adjusted for inflation:
(A) For 1999: $0.0094241 per unit sold during that year, after the date of the enactment of this article.
(B) For 2000: $0.0104712 per unit sold during that year.
(C) For each of 2001 and 2002: $0.0136125 per unit sold during the year in question.
(D) For each of 2003 through 2006: $0.0167539 per unit sold during the year in question.
(E) For each of 2007 and each year thereafter: $0.0188482 per unit sold during the year in question.
(b) Any tobacco product manufacturer that places funds into escrow pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall receive the interest or other appreciation on the funds as earned. The funds, other than the interest or other appreciation, shall be released from escrow only under the following circumstances:
(1) To pay a judgment or settlement on any released claim brought against that tobacco product manufacturer by the state or any releasing party located or residing in the state. Funds shall be released from escrow under this subdivision (i) in the order in which they were placed into escrow and (ii) only to the extent and at the time necessary to make payments required under that judgment or settlement.
(2) To the extent that a tobacco product manufacturer establishes that the amount it was required to place into escrow on account of units sold in this state in a particular year was greater than the Master Settlement Agreement payments, as determined pursuant to section IX(i) of the agreement including after the final determination of all adjustments, that the manufacturer would have been required to make on account of the units sold had it been a participating manufacturer, the excess shall be released from escrow and revert back to that tobacco product manufacturer; or
(3) To the extent not released from escrow under paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (b), funds shall be released from escrow and revert back to the tobacco product manufacturer 25 years after the date on which they were placed into escrow.
(c) Each tobacco product manufacturer that elects to place funds into escrow pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall annually certify to the Attorney General that it is in compliance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), and subdivision (b). The Attorney General may bring a civil action on behalf of the state against any tobacco product manufacturer that fails to place into escrow the funds required under this section. Any tobacco product manufacturer that fails in any year to place into escrow the funds required under this section shall:
(1) Be required within 15 days to place the funds into escrow as shall bring it into compliance with this section. The court, upon a finding of a violation of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), or subdivision (b), may impose a civil penalty to be paid to the General Fund of the state in an amount not to exceed 5 percent of the amount improperly withheld from escrow per day of the violation and in a total amount not to exceed 100 percent of the original amount improperly withheld from escrow.
(2) In the case of a knowing violation, be required within 15 days to place the funds into escrow as shall bring it into compliance with this section. The court, upon a finding of a knowing violation of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), or subdivision (b), may impose a civil penalty to be paid to the General Fund in an amount not to exceed 15 percent of the amount improperly withheld from escrow per day of the violation and in a total amount not to exceed 300 percent of the original amount improperly withheld from escrow.
(3) In the case of a second knowing violation, be prohibited from selling cigarettes to consumers within the state, whether directly or through a distributor, retailer, or similar intermediary, for a period not to exceed two years.
(d) Each failure to make an annual deposit required under this section shall constitute a separate violation.
(a) The following persons are not peace officers but may exercise the powers of arrest of a peace officer as specified in Section 836 and the power to serve warrants as specified in Sections 1523 and 1530 during the course and within the scope of their employment, if they receive a course in the exercise of those powers pursuant to Section 832. The authority and powers of the persons designated under this section shall extend to any place in the state:
(1) Persons employed by the Department of Financial Institutions designated by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of, and investigations relating to, the provisions of law administered by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions.
(2) Persons employed by the Department of Real Estate designated by the Real Estate Commissioner, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of the laws set forth in Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000) and Part 2 (commencing with Section 11000) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code. The Real Estate Commissioner may designate persons under this section, who at the time of their designation, are assigned to the Special Investigations Unit, internally known as the Crisis Response Team.
(3) Persons employed by the State Lands Commission designated by the executive officer, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of the law relating to the duties of the State Lands Commission.
(4) Persons employed as investigators of the Investigations Bureau of the Department of Insurance, who are designated by the Chief of the Investigations Bureau, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of the Insurance Code and other laws relating to persons and businesses, licensed and unlicensed by the Department of Insurance, who are engaged in the business of insurance.
(5) Persons employed as investigators and investigator supervisors of the Consumer Services Division or the Rail Safety and Carrier Division of the Public Utilities Commission who are designated by the commission’s executive director and approved by the commission, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of the law as that duty is set forth in Section 308.5 of the Public Utilities Code.
(6) (A) Persons employed by the State Board of Equalization, Investigations Division, who are designated by the board’s executive director, provided that the primary duty of these persons shall be the enforcement of laws administered by the State Board of Equalization.
(B) Persons designated pursuant to this paragraph are not entitled to peace officer retirement benefits.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, persons designated pursuant to this section may not carry firearms.
(c) Persons designated pursuant to this section shall be included as “peace officers of the state” under paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 11105 for the purpose of receiving state summary criminal history information and shall be furnished that information on the same basis as peace officers of the state designated in paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 11105.
(d) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2010, and as of that date shall be repealed.
Section 830.11 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2010.
Section 30019 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
“Importer” means any purchaser for resale in the United States of cigarettes manufactured outside of the United States.
Section 30165.1 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
30165.1.
(1) “Board” means the State Board of Equalization.
(2) “Brand family” means all styles of cigarettes sold under the same trademark and differentiated from one another by means of additional modifiers, including, but not limited to, “menthol,” “lights,” “kings,” and “100s” and includes any brand name, alone or in conjunction with any other word, trademark, logo, symbol, motto, selling message, recognizable pattern of colors, or any other indicia of product identification identical or similar to, or identifiable with, a previously known brand of cigarettes.
(3) “Cigarette” has the same meaning as in subdivision (d) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code and includes tobacco products defined as a cigarette under that subdivision.
(4) “Distributor” has the same meaning as in Section 30011.
(5) “MSA” means the Master Settlement Agreement, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code.
(6) “Nonparticipating manufacturer” means any tobacco product manufacturer that is not a participating manufacturer.
(7) “Participating manufacturer” has the same meaning as in subsection II(jj) of the MSA.
(8) “Qualified escrow fund” has the same meaning as in subdivision (f) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code.
(9) “Tobacco product manufacturer” has the same meaning as in subdivision (i) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code.
(10) “Units sold” has the same meaning as in subdivision (j) of Section 104556 of the Health and Safety Code.
(b) Every tobacco product manufacturer whose cigarettes are sold in this state, whether directly or through a distributor, retailer, or similar intermediary or intermediaries, shall execute and deliver on a form and in the manner prescribed by the Attorney General a certification to the Attorney General no later than the 30th day of April each year that, as of the date of the certification, the tobacco product manufacturer is either a participating manufacturer, or is in full compliance with Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, including all installment payments required by that article and this section, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Any person who makes a certification pursuant to this subdivision that asserts the truth of any material matter that he or she knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in the county jail, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both the imprisonment and the fine.
(D) Identifying by name and address any other manufacturer, including all fabricators or makers of the brand families in the preceding or current calendar year in a form, manner, and detail as required by the Attorney General. The nonparticipating manufacturer shall update the list 30 days prior to any change in a fabricator for any brand family or any addition to or modification of its brand families by executing and delivering a supplemental certification to the Attorney General.
(3) In the case of a nonparticipating manufacturer, the certification shall further certify all of the following:
(C) That the nonparticipating manufacturer is in full compliance with Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, including paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code, this section, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting or otherwise affecting the state’s right to maintain that a brand family constitutes cigarettes of a different tobacco product manufacturer for purposes of calculating payments under the MSA or for purposes of Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(c) Not later than June 30, 2004, the Attorney General shall develop and publish on its Internet Web site a directory listing of all tobacco product manufacturers that have provided current, timely, and accurate certifications conforming to the requirements of subdivision (b) and all brand families that are listed in the certifications, except as specified below.
(1) The Attorney General may not include or retain in the directory the name or brand families of any nonparticipating manufacturer that fails to provide the required certification or whose certification the Attorney General determines is not in compliance with subdivision (b), unless the Attorney General has determined that the violation has been cured to the satisfaction of the Attorney General.
(2) Neither a tobacco product manufacturer nor brand family shall be included or retained in the directory if the Attorney General concludes that either of the following is true:
(B) Any outstanding final judgment, including interest thereon, for violations of Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, this section, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, has not been fully satisfied for the brand family and the manufacturer.
(3) The Attorney General shall update the directory as necessary in order to correct mistakes and to add or remove a tobacco product manufacturer or brand family to keep the directory in conformity with the requirements of this section. The Attorney General shall promptly provide distributors with written notice of each tobacco product manufacturer and brand family that the Attorney General has added to, or excluded or removed from the list.
(4) Every distributor shall provide to the Attorney General and update, as necessary, an electronic mail address for the purpose of receiving any notifications as may be required by this section.
(d) (1) The Attorney General may exclude or remove from the list required by subdivision (c) a tobacco product manufacturer or any of its brand families, based on a determination that the manufacturer is not a participating manufacturer and has not made all escrow payments required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code, in accordance with that subdivision, or has not complied with this section. Before the exclusion or removal may take effect, the Attorney General shall notify the manufacturer of this determination.
(2) Upon receiving notice from the Attorney General pursuant to paragraph (1), the manufacturer may challenge the Attorney General’s determination as erroneous, and may seek relief from the determination, by filing a petition for writ of mandate pursuant to Section 1085 of the Code of Civil Procedure for that purpose in the Superior Court for the County of Sacramento, or as otherwise provided by law. The filing of the petition shall operate to stay the Attorney General’s determination, if the manufacturer has paid into escrow the full amount of any deficiency in the escrow payments that the Attorney General has determined the tobacco product manufacturer was required to have made under paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code, including any installment payments required under subdivision (h), pending final resolution of the action.
(2) No person shall sell, offer, or possess for sale in this state, or import for personal consumption in this state, cigarettes of a tobacco product manufacturer or brand family not included in the directory.
(f) (1) Any nonresident or foreign nonparticipating manufacturer that has not registered to do business in the state as a foreign corporation or business entity shall, as a condition precedent to having its brand families listed or retained in the directory, appoint and continually engage without interruption the services of an agent in this state to act as agent for the service of process on whom all process, and any action or proceeding against it concerning or arising out of the enforcement of this section, Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, may be served in any manner authorized by law. This service shall constitute legal and valid service of process on the nonparticipating manufacturer. The nonparticipating manufacturer shall provide the name, address, telephone number, and proof of the appointment and availability of the agent to the satisfaction of the Attorney General.
(g) (1) Not later than 25 days after the end of each calendar quarter, and more frequently if so directed by the board or the Attorney General, each distributor shall submit any information as the board or Attorney General requires to facilitate compliance with this section, including, but not limited to, a list by brand family of the total number of cigarettes or in the case of roll your own, the total ounces for which the distributor affixed stamps during the previous calendar month or otherwise paid the tax due for those cigarettes. The distributor shall maintain, and shall make available to the board and the Attorney General, all invoices and documentation of sales of all nonparticipating manufacturer cigarettes and any other information relied upon in reporting to the board and the Attorney General for a period of five years.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 30455, the board is authorized to disclose to the Attorney General any information received under this part for purposes of determining compliance with and enforcing the provisions of this section and Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. The board and Attorney General shall share with each other the information received under this section, and may share that information with other federal, state, or local agencies, only for purposes of enforcement of this section, Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, or corresponding laws of other states.
(4) In addition to the information required to be submitted pursuant to this section or Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, the board or the Attorney General may require a retailer, wholesaler, distributor, or tobacco product manufacturer to submit any additional information, including, but not limited to, samples of the packaging or labeling of each brand family, as is necessary to enable the Attorney General to determine whether a tobacco product manufacturer is in compliance with this section, or Article 3 (commencing with Section 104555) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 103 of the Health and Safety Code, and any regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(i) (1) In addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law, upon a finding that a distributor has violated subdivision (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (g), the board may take the following actions:
(A) In the case of the first offense, the board may revoke or suspend the license or licenses of the distributor pursuant to the procedures applicable to the revocation of a license set forth in Section 30148.
(B) In the case of a second or any subsequent offense, in addition to the action authorized under subparagraph (A), the board may impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the greater of either of the following:
(B) At the time of the violation, the distributor possessed a copy of the Attorney General’s most recent written acknowledgment of receipt of the certifications and other information required as a condition of including the brand family on the list required by subdivision (c).
(m) No person shall be issued a distributor’s license, pursuant to Section 30140, unless that person has certified in writing that the person will comply fully with this section. Any person who makes a certification pursuant to this subdivision that asserts the truth of any material matter that he or she knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment of up to one year in the county jail, or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both the imprisonment and the fine.
(p) In any action brought by the state to enforce this section, the state shall be entitled to recover the costs of investigation, expert witness fees, costs of the action, and reasonable attorney’s fees.
(q) Unless otherwise expressly provided, the remedies or penalties provided by this section are cumulative to each other and to the remedies or penalties available under all other laws of this state.
Section 30166.1 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
Section 30177.5 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
30177.5.
(a) The board shall credit to a distributor that is entitled to the credit authorized by paragraph (1) of subdivision (j) of Section 30165.1, the denominated value, less any discounts authorized by this part, of the stamps or meter impressions purchased and affixed to those packages of cigarettes that are subject to the provisions of subdivision (j) of Section 30165.1.
(b) The board shall credit to a distributor that is entitled to a credit authorized by paragraph (1) of subdivision (j) of Section 30165.1, the amount of taxes paid by that distributor, pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 30121) and Article 3 (commencing with Section 30131), with respect to the tobacco products that are subject to the provisions of subdivision (j) of Section 30165.1.
Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 30210) is added to Chapter 4 of Part 13 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
If any person becomes a cigarette or tobacco products distributor without first securing a license, the tax, and applicable penalties and interest, if any, become immediately due and payable on account of all cigarettes or tobacco products distributed. All cigarettes or tobacco products manufactured in this state or transported to this state, and no longer in the possession of the unlicensed distributor, are considered to have been distributed.
30211.
The board shall forthwith ascertain as best it may the amount of the cigarettes or tobacco products distributed and shall determine immediately the tax on that amount, adding to the tax a penalty of 25 percent of the amount of tax or five hundred dollars ($500), whichever is greater, and shall issue a jeopardy determination to the unlicensed person pursuant to Section 30241 and give the unlicensed person notice per Section 30244 of the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law. However, where the board determines that the failure to secure a license was due to reasonable cause, the penalty may be waived. Sections 30242 and 30243 shall be applicable with respect to the finality of the determination and the right of the unlicensed person to petition for a redetermination.
30212.
The board shall forthwith collect the tax, penalty, and interest due from the unlicensed person by seizure and sale of property in the manner prescribed for the collection of a delinquent monthly tax.
In the suit, a copy of the jeopardy determination certified by the board shall be prima facie evidence that the unlicensed person is indebted to the state in the amount of the tax, penalties, and interest computed as prescribed by Section 30223.
The foregoing remedies of the state are cumulative.
No action taken pursuant to this article relieves the unlicensed person in any way from the penal provisions of this part.
30216.
This article shall remain in effect until January 1, 2010, and as of that date shall be repealed.
Article 5 (commencing with Section 30355) is added to Chapter 5 of Part 13 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
Article 5. Seizure and Sale
Whenever any person is delinquent in the payment of the obligations imposed under this part, the board or its authorized representative may seize any property, real or personal, subject to the lien of the tax and thereafter sell the property, or a sufficient part of it, at public auction to pay the tax due together with any interest and penalties imposed for the delinquency and any costs incurred on account of the seizure and sale.
Notice of the sale and the time and place thereof shall be given in writing at least 20 days before the date set for the sale to the delinquent person and to all persons who have an interest of record in the property seized. The notice shall be personally served or enclosed in an envelope addressed to the person at his or her last known residence or place of business in this state. If not personally served, the notice shall be deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid. The notice shall be published pursuant to Section 6063 of the Government Code, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the city in which the property or a part thereof is situated if any part thereof is situated in a city or, if not, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the property or a part thereof is located. Notice shall also be posted in both of the following manners:
(a) One public place in the city in which the interest in property is to be sold if it is to be sold in a city or, if not to be sold in a city, one public place in the county in which the interest in the property is to be sold.
(b) One conspicuous place on the property. The notice shall contain a description of the property to be sold, a statement of the amount due, including tax, penalties, interest, and costs, the name of the person, and the further statement that unless the amount is paid on or before the time fixed in the notice of sale, the property, or so much of it as may be necessary, will be sold in accordance with law and the notice.
At any sale the board or its authorized agent shall sell the property in accordance with the law and the notice and shall deliver to the purchaser a bill of sale for the personal property and a deed for any real property sold. The bill of sale or deed vests title in the purchaser. The unsold portion of any property seized may be left at the place of sale at the risk of the taxpayer.
If upon any sale the moneys received exceed the amount due to the state from the taxpayer, the board shall return the excess to the taxpayer and obtain his or her receipt. If any person having an interest in or lien upon the property files with the board prior to the sale notice of his or her interest or lien, the board shall withhold payment of any excess pending a determination of the rights of the respective parties to the excess moneys by a court of competent jurisdiction. If for any reason the receipt of the taxpayer is not available, the board shall deposit the excess moneys with the Controller, as trustee for the taxpayer, his or her heirs, successors, or assigns.
Section 30435 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
30435.
(a) An employee of the board, upon presentation of the appropriate identification and credentials, is authorized to enter into, and conduct an inspection of any building, facility, site, or place described in subdivision (b).
(e) This section shall remain in effect until January 1, 2010, and as of that date shall be repealed.
Section 30436 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
The following property, upon seizure by the board, is hereby forfeited to the state:
(a) Cigarettes or tobacco products transported upon the highways, roads, or streets of this state in violation of Section 30431 or Section 30432.
(b) Cigarettes not contained in packages to which are affixed California cigarette tax stamp or meter impressions or tobacco products upon which the tobacco products surtax has not been paid, which are offered for sale, possessed, kept, stored, or owned by any person with the intent of the person to sell the cigarettes or tobacco products without payment of the taxes imposed by this part.
(c) Any cigarette or tobacco product vending machine, together with the cigarettes, tobacco products, money or other contents thereof, that has been loaded, in whole or in part, with packages of cigarettes that do not have California cigarette tax stamps or meter impressions affixed or tobacco products upon which the tobacco products surtax has not been paid.
(d) Cigarettes contained in packages to which are affixed California cigarette tax stamps or meter impressions in violation of Section 30163.
(e) Cigarettes or tobacco products to which are affixed California cigarette tax stamps or meter impressions, or for which tax is paid pursuant to Sections 30123 and 30131.2, in violation of Section 30165.1, regardless of whether the violation is subject to the defense described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (i) of Section 30165.1.
Section 30449 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
30449.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), (c), or (d), any property, except money, forfeited to the state under this chapter shall be sold by the board at public auction. Notice of the sale shall be given by posting a written notice of the time and place of sale in three public places in the county where the property is to be sold for not less than five days nor more than 10 days before the sale. If the board is unable to sell any property forfeited to the state under this part or, if the board determines that the property is unsalable, it may destroy that property.
(b) Any property forfeited to the state pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 30436 shall be destroyed.
(c) Any cigarettes forfeited to the state pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 30436 shall be destroyed.
(d) Any cigarettes or tobacco products forfeited to the state pursuant to Division 8.6 (commencing with Section 22970) of the Business and Professions Code shall be destroyed.
(e)A record shall be kept of all property destroyed pursuant to this section showing the nature of the property, the quantity, the reason for, and the manner of destruction. The proceeds of the sale and any money forfeited to the state shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the General Fund.
Section 30471 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
Any person who fails or refuses to file any report required to be made, or who fails or refuses to furnish a supplemental report or other data required by the board, or who fails or refuses to allow an inspection by the board, pursuant to Section 30435, or who renders a false or fraudulent report is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each offense.
Section 30473.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
30473.5.
(a) Any person who possesses, sells, or offers to sell, or buys or offers to buy, any false or fraudulent stamps or meter impressions provided for or authorized under this part in a quantity of less than 2,000 is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisonment not exceeding one year in a county jail, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
(b) Any person who possesses, sells, or offers to sell, or buys or offers to buy any false or fraudulent stamps or meter impressions provided for or authorized under this part in a quantity of 2,000 or greater, is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or imprisonment not exceeding one year in a county jail, or by both the fine and imprisonment. The court shall order any fines assessed be deposited in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Compliance Fund.
(c) The board shall destroy any stamps seized under this section.
Section 30474 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
(a) Any person who knowingly possesses, or keeps, stores, or retains for the purpose of sale, or sells or offers to sell, any package of cigarettes to which there is not affixed the stamp or meter impression required to be affixed under this part, when those cigarettes have been obtained from any source whatever, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall for each offense be fined an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or be imprisoned for a period not to exceed one year in the county jail, or, at the discretion of the court, be subject to both the fine and imprisonment in the county jail.
(b) In addition to the fine or sentence, or both, each person convicted under this section shall pay one hundred dollars ($100) for each carton of 200 cigarettes, or portion thereof, if that person knowingly possessed, or kept, stored, or retained for the purpose of sale, or sold or offered for sale in violation of this section, as determined by the court. The court shall direct that 50 percent of the penalty assessed be transmitted to the local prosecuting jurisdiction, to be allocated for costs of prosecution, and 50 percent of the penalty assessed be transmitted to the State Board of Equalization.
(c) This section does not apply to a licensed distributor that possesses, keeps, stores, or retains cigarettes before the necessary stamp or meter impression is affixed.
Section 30474.1 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
30474.1.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the sale or possession for sale of counterfeit tobacco products, or the sale or possession for sale of counterfeit cigarettes by a manufacturer, importer, distributor, wholesaler, or retailer shall result in the seizure of the product by the board or any law enforcement agency and shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable as follows:
(1) A violation with a total quantity of less than two cartons of cigarettes shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and the imprisonment, and shall also result in the revocation by the board of the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesale license.
(2) A violation with a quantity of two cartons of cigarettes or more shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) or imprisonment not to exceed one year in a county jail, or both the fine and imprisonment, and shall also result in the revocation by the board of the manufacturer, distributor, or wholesaler license.
(b) A court shall consider a defendant’s ability to pay when imposing fines pursuant to this section.
(c) For the purposes of this section, counterfeit cigarette and tobacco products include cigarette and tobacco products that have false manufacturing labels, false or fraudulent stamps or meter impressions, or a combination thereof.
(d) The board shall seize and destroy any cigarettes or other tobacco products forfeited to the state under this section.
Section 30481 of the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
Any prosecution for violation of any of the penal provisions of this part shall be instituted within six years after commission of the offense.
Section 30482 is added to the Revenue and Taxation Code, to read:
Any person convicted of a crime under this part may be charged the costs of investigation and prosecution at the discretion of the court.
All moneys remitted to the board under this part shall be transmitted to the Treasurer who shall deposit it into the State Treasury and credit it to the Cigarette Tax Fund.
Nothing in this act preempts or supersedes any local tobacco control law or ordinance other than those laws or ordinances that are related to the collection of state taxes. Local licensing laws or ordinances may provide for the suspension or revocation of licenses issued by a local government or agency for a violation of the laws imposed under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law (Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code).
All revenues and expenses generated by this act with respect to the taxes imposed under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law (Part 13 (commencing with Section 30001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code), shall be allocated in the same manner as those revenues and expenses are allocated under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Tax Law as that law read on the effective date of this act.
The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
If the amendments to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code made by Section 3 of this act are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional, Section 3 of this act shall be deemed repealed, and paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code shall be deemed to be in the form as it existed prior to the amendments made to that section by Section 3 of this act. Neither a holding of unconstitutionality of the provisions of Section 3 of this act, nor an implied repeal of the amendments to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code made by Section 3 of this act shall affect, impair, or invalidate any other portion of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code, or the application of that section to any other person or circumstance, and those remaining portions of Section 104557 of the Health and Safety Code shall at all times continue in full force and effect.