AB717: Bill Text

AB717,9,18 (5) Prohibition. (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), no person may sell or offer to sell cigarettes to a person located in this state unless all of the following apply:

AB717,9,20 1. The cigarettes are of a type that has been tested in accordance with this section.

AB717,9,22 2. The cigarettes meet the applicable fire safety performance standard required under this section.

AB717,9,24 3. The cigarettes are of a type that are covered by a certification filed under sub. (2) (a).

AB717,9,25 4. The cigarettes are marked in compliance with sub. (4).

AB717,10,9 (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to the selling or the offering for sale of cigarettes by a manufacturer, distributor, direct marketer, jobber, or retailer if the stamps acquired under s. 139.32 were affixed to the cigarette packages prior to the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], and if the quantity of such cigarettes in the manufacturer's, distributor's, direct marketer's, jobber's, or retailer's possession prior to the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], is comparable to the quantity of cigarettes in the manufacturer's, distributor's, direct marketer's, jobber's, or retailer's possession during the same period of the previous year.

AB717,10,13 (c) Paragraph (a) does not apply to the selling or the offering for sale of cigarettes solely for the purpose of consumer testing that is conducted by a manufacturer or under the control and direction of a manufacturer if all of the following apply:

AB717,10,14 1. The purpose of testing is to evaluate consumer acceptance of the cigarettes.

AB717,10,16 2. The testing involves only the number of cigarettes that is reasonably necessary for the testing.

AB717,10,19 3. The testing is in a controlled setting where the cigarettes are either smoked onsite or are returned to the person administering the test at the conclusion of the testing.

AB717,10,22 (6) Penalties. (a) Any person who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes at wholesale in violation of sub. (5) (a) shall forfeit not more than $10,000 for each sale subject to par. (e).

AB717,10,24 (b) Any person who knowingly sells or offers to sell cigarettes at retail in violation of sub. (5) (a) shall forfeit:

AB717,11,2 1. Not more than $500 for each violation that involves not more than 1,000 cigarettes.

AB717,11,4 2. Not more than $1,000 for each violation that involves 1,000 or more cigarettes, subject to par. (e).

AB717,11,7 (c) Any manufacturer that knowingly files a false certification under sub. (2) (a) shall forfeit not more than $10,000. Each false certification constitutes a separate offense.

AB717,11,9 (d) Any manufacturer who fails to comply with sub. (3) (f) 2. shall forfeit not more than $10,000. Each day of violation constitutes a separate offense.

AB717,11,13 (e) The total amount of forfeitures imposed under par. (a) against a single violator may not exceed more than $100,000 during any 30-day period. The total amount of forfeitures imposed under par. (b) 2. against a single violator may not exceed more than $25,000 during any 30-day period.

AB717,11,19 (7) Administration and enforcement. (a) The department or attorney general may file an action in civil court for a violation of this section. The relief sought in the action may include injunctive relief, damages incurred by the state because of the violation, enforcement costs, court costs, and attorney fees. Each violation of this section constitutes a separate civil violation for which the department or attorney general may seek relief.

AB717,11,23 (b) The department of revenue, in the course of conducting any inspection or examination authorized under s. 139.39, may inspect cigarettes to determine if the cigarettes are marked as provided under sub. (4), and the department of revenue shall notify the department of commerce of any unmarked cigarettes.

AB717,12,6 (c) Authorized personnel from the department of justice, from the department of commerce, and from the department of revenue, and any sheriff, police officer, or other law enforcement personnel, within their respective jurisdictions, may enter and inspect any premises where cigarettes are made, sold, offered for sale, or stored to determine if the cigarettes comply with this section. An inspection under this paragraph includes examining the books, papers, invoices, and other records of any person who is subject to this section and who is in control, possession, or occupancy of the premises.

AB717,12,12 (8) Seizure. All cigarettes acquired, owned, imported, possessed, kept, stored, made, sold, distributed, or transported in violation of this section are subject to seizure by anyone authorized to inspect premises under sub. (7) (c). All cigarettes seized for violating this section shall be destroyed after the person who holds the trademark rights in the cigarette brand has been given a reasonable opportunity to inspect the cigarettes.

AB717,12,15 (9) Selling cigarettes outside of this state. This section does not apply to any manufacturer or any person who sells or offers to sell cigarettes that are prohibited from being sold under sub. (5) (a) if either of the following applies:

AB717,12,16 (a) The cigarettes will be stamped for sale in a state other than this state.

AB717,12,19 (b) The cigarettes are packaged to be sold outside the United States and the manufacturer or seller has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the cigarettes will not be sold or offered to be sold to any person in this state.

AB717,13,3 (10) New York, federal, and local laws. (a) This section shall be implemented in accordance with the implementation and substance of the New York Fire Safety Standards for Cigarettes that are in effect on the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date]. If, after the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], the New York safety standards are changed, the department shall suggest proposed legislation to the chairpersons of the appropriate standing committees of the legislature, as designated by the presiding officer of each house. The proposed legislation shall contain the provisions necessary to bring this section into accordance with the New York safety standards.

AB717,13,8 (b) If the department determines that the federal government has enacted legislation that establishes a fire safety performance standard that conflicts with or that preempts the provisions of this section that establish fire safety performance standards, this section does not apply after the date on which the federal legislation takes effect.

AB717,13,12 (c) A city, village, town, or county may enact and enforce an ordinance or adopt and enforce a resolution regulating the fire safety performance of cigarettes that are sold or that are offered to be sold in this state only if the ordinance is in strict conformity with this section.

AB717, s. 4 Section 4. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the first day of the 18th month beginning after publication, except as follows:

AB717,13,16 (1) The treatment of section 167.35 (10) (c) of the statutes takes effect on the day after publication.

AB717,13,17 (End)