House File 167 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY McCARTHY and BAUDLER Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the regulation of tobacco product retailers, 2 and making penalties applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1597HH 81 5 pf/cf/24 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 453A.3, subsection 1, paragraphs a and 1 2 b, Code 2005, are amended to read as follows: 1 3 a. A person, other than a retailer as defined in section 1 4 453A.1 or 453A.42, who violates section 453A.2, subsection 1, 1 5 is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. 1 6 b. An employee of a retailer as defined in section 453A.1 1 7 or 453A.42, who violates section 453A.2, subsection 1, commits 1 8 a simple misdemeanor punishable as a scheduled violation under 1 9 section 805.8C, subsection 3, paragraph "b". 1 10 Sec. 2. Section 453A.5, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2005, 1 11 are amended to read as follows: 1 12 1. The alcoholic beverages division of the department of 1 13 commerce shall develop a tobacco compliance employee training 1 14 program not to exceed two hours in length for employees and 1 15 prospective employees oftobaccoretailers, as defined in 1 16 sections 453A.1 and 453A.42, to inform the employees about 1 17 state and federal laws and regulations regarding the sale of 1 18 cigarettes and tobacco products to persons under eighteen 1 19 years of age and compliance with and the importance of laws 1 20 regarding the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to 1 21 persons under eighteen years of age. 1 22 2. The tobacco compliance employee training program shall 1 23 be made available to employees and prospective employees of 1 24tobaccoretailers, as defined in sections 453A.1 and 453A.42, 1 25 at no cost to the employee, the prospective employee, or the 1 26 retailer, and in a manner which is as convenient and 1 27 accessible to the extent practicable throughout the state so 1 28 as to encourage attendance. Contingent upon the availability 1 29 of specified funds for provision of the program, the division 1 30 shall schedule the program on at least a monthly basis and the 1 31 program shall be available at a location in at least a 1 32 majority of counties. 1 33 Sec. 3. Section 453A.22, Code 2005, is amended by adding 1 34 the following new subsection: 1 35 NEW SUBSECTION. 8. For the purposes of this section, 2 1 "retailer" means retailer as defined in sections 453A.1 and 2 2 453A.42 and "retail permit" includes permits issued to 2 3 retailers under division I or division II of this chapter. 2 4 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 453A.47A RETAILERS == PERMITS == 2 5 FEES == PENALTIES. 2 6 1. PERMITS REQUIRED. A person shall not engage in the 2 7 business of a retailer of tobacco products at any place of 2 8 business without first having received a permit as a tobacco 2 9 products retailer. 2 10 2. NO SALES WITHOUT PERMIT. A retailer shall not sell any 2 11 tobacco products until an application has been filed and the 2 12 fee prescribed paid for a permit and until such permit is 2 13 obtained and only while such permit is not suspended, 2 14 unrevoked, or unexpired. 2 15 3. NUMBER OF PERMITS. An application shall be filed and a 2 16 permit obtained for each place of business owned or operated 2 17 by a retailer. 2 18 4. RETAILER == CIGARETTES AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS. A 2 19 retailer, as defined in section 453A.1, who holds a permit 2 20 under division I of this chapter is not required to also 2 21 obtain a retailer permit under this division. However, if a 2 22 retailer, as defined in section 453A.1, only holds a permit 2 23 under division I of this chapter and that permit is suspended, 2 24 revoked, or expired, the retailer shall not sell any 2 25 cigarettes or tobacco products during the time which the 2 26 permit is suspended, revoked, or expired. 2 27 5. SEPARATE PERMIT. A separate retail permit shall be 2 28 required of a distributor or subjobber if the distributor or 2 29 subjobber sells tobacco products at retail. 2 30 6. ISSUANCE. Cities shall issue retail permits to 2 31 retailers within their respective limits. County boards of 2 32 supervisors shall issue retail permits to retailers in their 2 33 respective counties, outside of the corporate limits of 2 34 cities. The city or county shall submit a duplicate of any 2 35 application for a retail permit and any retail permit issued 3 1 by the entity under this section to the Iowa department of 3 2 public health within thirty days of issuance. 3 3 7. FEES == EXPIRATION. 3 4 a. All permits provided for in this division shall expire 3 5 on June 30 of each year. A permit shall not be granted or 3 6 issued until the applicant has paid the fees provided for in 3 7 this section for the period ending June 30 next, to the city 3 8 or county granting the permit. The fee for retail permits is 3 9 as follows when the permit is granted during the months of 3 10 July, August, or September: 3 11 (1) In places outside any city, fifty dollars. 3 12 (2) In cities of less than fifteen thousand population, 3 13 seventy=five dollars. 3 14 (3) In cities of fifteen thousand or more population, one 3 15 hundred dollars. 3 16 b. If any permit is granted during the months of October, 3 17 November, or December, the fee shall be three=fourths of the 3 18 above maximum schedule; if granted during the months of 3 19 January, February, or March, one=half of the maximum schedule, 3 20 and if granted during the months of April, May, or June, one= 3 21 fourth of the maximum schedule. 3 22 8. REFUNDS. 3 23 a. An unrevoked permit for which the retailer paid the 3 24 full annual fee may be surrendered during the first nine 3 25 months of the year to the officer issuing it, and the city or 3 26 county granting the permit shall make refunds to the retailer 3 27 as follows: 3 28 (1) Three=fourths of the annual fee if the surrender is 3 29 made during July, August, or September. 3 30 (2) One=half of the annual fee if the surrender is made 3 31 during October, November, or December. 3 32 (3) One=fourth of the annual fee if the surrender is made 3 33 during January, February, or March. 3 34 b. An unrevoked permit for which the retailer has paid 3 35 three=fourths of a full annual fee may be surrendered during 4 1 the first six months of the period covered by the payment, and 4 2 the city or county shall make refunds to the retailer as 4 3 follows: 4 4 (1) A sum equal to one=half of an annual fee if the 4 5 surrender is made during October, November, or December. 4 6 (2) A sum equal to one=fourth of an annual fee if the 4 7 surrender is made during January, February, or March. 4 8 c. An unrevoked permit for which the retailer has paid 4 9 one=half of a full annual fee may be surrendered during the 4 10 first three months of the period covered by the payment, and 4 11 the city or county shall refund to the retailer a sum equal to 4 12 one=fourth of an annual fee. 4 13 9. APPLICATION. Retailer permits shall be issued only 4 14 upon applications, accompanied by the fee indicated above, 4 15 made upon forms furnished by the department upon written 4 16 request. The failure to furnish such forms shall be no excuse 4 17 for the failure to file the form unless absolute refusal is 4 18 shown. The forms shall specify: 4 19 a. The manner under which the retailer transacts or 4 20 intends to transact business as a retailer. 4 21 b. The principal office, residence, and place of business, 4 22 for which the permit is to apply. 4 23 c. If the applicant is not an individual, the principal 4 24 officers or members of the applicant, not to exceed three, and 4 25 their addresses. 4 26 d. Such other information as the director shall by rules 4 27 prescribe. 4 28 10. RECORDS AND REPORTS OF RETAILERS. 4 29 a. The director shall prescribe the forms necessary for 4 30 the efficient administration of this section and may require 4 31 uniform books and records to be used and kept by each retailer 4 32 or other person as deemed necessary. 4 33 b. Every retailer shall, when requested by the department, 4 34 make additional reports as the department deems necessary and 4 35 proper and shall at the request of the department furnish full 5 1 and complete information pertaining to any transaction of the 5 2 retailer involving the purchase or sale or use of tobacco 5 3 products. 5 4 11. PENALTIES. The permit suspension and revocation 5 5 provisions and the civil penalties established in section 5 6 453A.22 shall apply to retailers under this division, in 5 7 addition to any other penalties imposed under this division. 5 8 EXPLANATION 5 9 This bill establishes permit requirements for tobacco 5 10 product retailers. The bill prohibits a person from engaging 5 11 in the business of a retailer of tobacco products at any place 5 12 of business without first having received a permit as a 5 13 tobacco product retailer. The bill provides for issuance of a 5 14 permit by a city or county board of supervisors, establishes 5 15 fees for a permit, provides for refunds, provides for 5 16 application for a permit, and provides that a cigarette 5 17 retailer who holds a permit is not required to also obtain a 5 18 tobacco product retailer permit. The bill authorizes the 5 19 director of revenue to prescribe the forms necessary for the 5 20 efficient administration of the tobacco product retailer 5 21 permit section and authorizes the director to require uniform 5 22 books and records to be used and kept by each retailer or 5 23 other person as deemed necessary. The bill requires tobacco 5 24 product retailers, when requested by the department of revenue 5 25 and finance, to make additional reports as the department 5 26 deems necessary and proper and, at the request of the 5 27 department, to furnish full and complete information 5 28 pertaining to any transaction of the retailer involving the 5 29 purchase or sale or use of tobacco products. 5 30 The bill also makes existing penalties and permit 5 31 suspension and revocation provisions for cigarette retailers 5 32 applicable to tobacco product retailers. The bill makes 5 33 conforming changes in the Code to reflect the establishment of 5 34 permit provisions for tobacco product retailers. 5 35 LSB 1597HH 81 6 1 pf/cf/24