Amended in Assembly March 2, 2016

Amended in Assembly February 29, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Second Extraordinary Session

Senate BillNo. 7


Introduced by Senator Hernandez

(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Wood)

(Coauthors: Senators Allen, Block, Leno, McGuire, and Mitchell)

July 16, 2015


An act to amend Sections 17537.3, 22951, 22952, 22956, 22958, and 22963 of, and to add Section 22964 to, the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 308 of the Penal Code, relating to tobacco.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 7, as amended, Hernandez. Tobacco products: minimum legal age.

Existing law, the Stop Tobacco Access to Kids Enforcement (STAKE) Act, establishes various requirements for distributors and retailers relating to tobacco sales to minors. Existing law prohibits the furnishing of tobacco products to, and the purchase of tobacco products by, a person under 18 years of age. Under existing law, a person is prohibited from making various promotional or advertising offers of smokeless tobacco products without taking actions to ensure that the product is not available to persons under 18 years of age. Existing law also requires the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite sting inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 18 years of age.

begin insert

Existing law, the STAKE Act, authorizes an enforcing agency to assess civil penalties against any person, firm, or corporation that sells, gives, or in any way furnishes to another person who is under 18 years of age, any tobacco, cigarette, cigarette papers, any other instrument or paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of tobacco, products prepared from tobacco, or any controlled substance, according to a specified schedule. Existing law also makes every person, firm, or corporation that knowingly or under circumstances in which it has knowledge, or should otherwise have grounds for knowledge, sells, gives, or in any way furnishes to another person who is under 18 years of age any tobacco, cigarette, cigarette papers, blunts wraps, or any other preparation of tobacco, or any other instrument or paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of tobacco, products prepared from tobacco, or any controlled substance, subject to either a criminal action for a misdemeanor or to a civil action brought by a city attorney, a county counsel, or a district attorney, punishable by a fine, as specified.

end insert

This bill would extend the applicability of those provisions to persons under 21 years of age. The bill would authorize the State Department of Public Health to conduct random, onsite sting inspections of tobacco product retailers with the assistance of persons under 21 years of age.

The bill would also provide that the STAKE Act does not invalidate existing local government ordinances or prohibit the adoption of local government ordinances requiring a more restrictive legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products.

begin insert

This bill would make the civil and criminal penalties described above inapplicable if the person being furnished the product is active duty military personnel who is 18 years of age or older, as confirmed by a military identification card.

end insert

Existing law makes it a crime, punishable by a fine of $75 or 30 hours of community service work, for a person under 18 years of age to purchase, receive, or possess certain tobacco products. Existing law requires 25% of certain fines to be paid to the city or county for the administration and cost of that community service work component. Existing law immunizes a person under 18 years of age from prosecution for those actions when they were taken while participating in specified enforcement activities.

This bill would delete those provisions.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 22958 of the Business and Professions Code and Section 308 of the Penal Code proposed by SB 5 and AB 6 in the 2nd Extraordinary Session of the 2015-16 Legislative Session. Those other bills would include an electronic device that delivers nicotine or other vaporized liquids in the definition of a tobacco product. If this bill and those bills are enacted, as specified, and this bill is enacted last, then this bill would prohibit selling, advertising, or furnishing an electronic device that delivers nicotine or other vaporized liquids, as specified, to persons under 21 years of age.

By expanding the scope of existing crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P3    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 17537.3 of the Business and Professions
2Code
is amended to read:

3

17537.3.  

The following acts are prohibited:

4(a) For any person to offer as part of an advertising plan or
5program, promotional offers of smokeless tobacco products which
6require proof of purchase of a smokeless tobacco product unless
7it carries a designation that the offer is not available to persons
8under 21 years of age. Each promotional offer shall include in any
9mail-in coupon a statement requesting purchasers to verify that
10the purchaser is 21 years of age or older.

11(b) For any person to honor mail-in and telephone requests for
12promotional offers of smokeless tobacco products unless
13appropriate efforts are made to ascertain that a purchaser is over
1421 years of age. For purposes of this subdivision, appropriate
15efforts to ascertain the age of a purchaser includes, but is not
16limited to, requests for a purchaser’s birth date.

17(c) For any person by any means, as part of an advertising plan
18or program, to distribute free samples of smokeless tobacco
19products within a two-block radius of any premises or facilities
20whose primary purpose is directed toward persons under 21 years
21of age including, but not limited to, schools, clubhouses, and youth
P4    1centers, when those premises are being used for their primary
2purposes.

3(d) For any person to distribute, as part of any advertising plan
4or program, unsolicited samples of smokeless tobacco products
5through a mail campaign.

6

SEC. 2.  

Section 22951 of the Business and Professions Code
7 is amended to read:

8

22951.  

The Legislature finds and declares that reducing and
9eventually eliminating the illegal purchase and consumption of
10tobacco products by any person under 21 years of age is critical
11to ensuring the long-term health of our state’s citizens.
12Accordingly, California must fully comply with federal regulations,
13particularly the “Synar Amendment,” that restrict tobacco sales to
14minors and require states to vigorously enforce their laws
15prohibiting the sale and distribution of tobacco products to persons
16under 18 years of age. Full compliance and vigorous enforcement
17of the “Synar Amendment” requires the collaboration of multiple
18state and local agencies that license, inspect, or otherwise conduct
19business with retailers, distributors, or wholesalers that sell tobacco.

20

SEC. 3.  

Section 22952 of the Business and Professions Code
21 is amended to read:

22

22952.  

The State Department of Public Health shall do all of
23the following:

24(a) Establish and develop a program to reduce the availability
25of tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age through the
26enforcement activities authorized by this division.

27(b) Establish requirements that retailers of tobacco products
28post conspicuously, at each point of purchase, a notice stating that
29selling tobacco products to anyone under 21 years of age is illegal
30and subject to penalties. The notice shall also state that the law
31requires that all persons selling tobacco products check the
32identification of a purchaser of tobacco products who reasonably
33appears to be under 21 years of age. The warning signs shall
34include a toll-free telephone number to the department for persons
35to report unlawful sales of tobacco products to any person under
3621 years of age.

37(c) Provide that primary responsibility for enforcement of this
38division shall be with the department. In carrying out its
39enforcement responsibilities, the department shall conduct random,
40onsite sting inspections at retail sites and shall enlist the assistance
P5    1of persons that are under 21 years of age in conducting these
2enforcement activities. The department may conduct onsite sting
3inspections in response to public complaints or at retail sites where
4violations have previously occurred, and investigate illegal sales
5of tobacco products to any person under 21 years of age by
6telephone, mail, or the Internet. A person under 21 years of age
7who participates in these enforcement activities is immune from
8prosecution under any provision of law prohibiting the purchase
9of these products by a person under 21 years of age.

10(d) In accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section
1111340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code,
12the department shall adopt and publish guidelines for the use of
13persons under 21 years of age in inspections conducted pursuant
14to subdivision (c) that shall include, but not be limited to, all of
15the following:

16(1) An enforcing agency may use persons under 21 years of age
17in random inspections to determine if sales of cigarettes or other
18tobacco products are being made to persons under 21 years of age.

19(2) A photograph or video recording of the person under 21
20years of age shall be taken prior to each inspection or shift of
21inspections and retained by the enforcing agency for purposes of
22verifying appearances.

23(3) An enforcing agency may use video recording equipment
24when conducting the inspections to record and document illegal
25sales or attempted sales.

26(4) The person under 21 years of age, if questioned about his
27or her age, need not state his or her actual age but shall present a
28true and correct identification if verbally asked to present it. Any
29failure on the part of the person under 21 years of age to provide
30true and correct identification, if verbally asked for it, shall be a
31defense to an action pursuant to this section.

32(5) The person under 21 years of age shall be under the
33supervision of a regularly employed peace officer during the
34inspection.

35(6) All persons under 21 years of age used in this manner by an
36enforcing agency shall display the appearance of a person under
3721 years of age. It shall be a defense to an action under this division
38that the person’s appearance was not that which could be generally
39expected of a person under 21 years of age, under the actual
P6    1circumstances presented to the seller of the cigarettes or other
2tobacco products at the time of the alleged offense.

3(7) Following the completion of the sale, the peace officer
4accompanying the person under 21 years of age shall reenter the
5retail establishment and shall inform the seller of the random
6inspection. Following an attempted sale, the enforcing agency shall
7notify the retail establishment of the inspection.

8(8) Failure to comply with the procedures set forth in this
9subdivision shall be a defense to an action brought pursuant to this
10section.

11(e) Be responsible for ensuring and reporting the state’s
12compliance with Section 1926 of Title XIX of the federal Public
13Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300x-26) and any implementing
14regulations adopted in relation thereto by the United States
15Department of Health and Human Services. A copy of this report
16shall be made available to the Governor and the Legislature.

17(f) Provide that any civil penalties imposed pursuant to Section
1822958 shall be enforced against the owner or owners of the retail
19business and not the employees of the business.

20

SEC. 4.  

Section 22956 of the Business and Professions Code
21 is amended to read:

22

22956.  

All persons engaging in the retail sale of tobacco
23products shall check the identification of tobacco purchasers, to
24establish the age of the purchaser, if the purchaser reasonably
25appears to be under 21 years of age.

26

SEC. 5.  

Section 22958 of the Business and Professions Code
27 is amended to read:

28

22958.  

(a) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insertend insert An enforcing agency may assess civil penalties
29against any person, firm, or corporation that sells, gives, or in any
30way furnishes to another person who is under 21 years of age, any
31tobacco, cigarette, cigarette papers, any other instrument or
32paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of
33tobacco, products prepared from tobacco, or any controlled
34substance, according to the following schedule: (1) a civil penalty
35of from four hundred dollars ($400) to six hundred dollars ($600)
36for the first violation, (2) a civil penalty of from nine hundred
37dollars ($900) to one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the second
38violation within a five-year period, (3) a civil penalty of from one
39thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) to one thousand eight
40hundred dollars ($1,800) for a third violation within a five-year
P7    1period, (4) a civil penalty of from three thousand dollars ($3,000)
2to four thousand dollars ($4,000) for a fourth violation within a
3five-year period, or (5) a civil penalty of from five thousand dollars
4($5,000) to six thousand dollars ($6,000) for a fifth violation within
5a five-year period.

begin insert

6(2) This subdivision does not apply to the sale, giving, or
7furnishing of any of the products specified in paragraph (1) to
8active duty military personnel who are 18 years of age or older.
9An identification card issued by the United States Armed Forces
10shall be used as proof of age for this purpose.

end insert

11(b) (1) In addition to the civil penalties described in subdivision
12(a), upon the assessment of a civil penalty for the third, fourth, or
13fifth violation, the department, within 60 days of the date of service
14of the final administrative adjudication on the parties or payment
15of the civil penalty for an uncontested violation, shall notify the
16State Board of Equalization of the violation. The State Board of
17Equalization shall then assess a civil penalty of two hundred fifty
18dollars ($250) and suspend or revoke a license issued pursuant to
19Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 22972) of Division 8.6 in
20accordance with the following schedule:

21(A) A 45-day suspension of the license for a third violation at
22the same location within a five-year period.

23(B) A 90-day suspension of the license for a fourth violation at
24the same location within a five-year period.

25(C) Revocation of the license for a fifth violation at the same
26location within a five-year period.

27(2) The provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section
2855121) of Part 30 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
29apply with respect to the collection of the penalty imposed by the
30State Board of Equalization pursuant to paragraph (1).

31(c) (1) For each suspension or revocation pursuant to
32subdivision (b), the civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250)
33assessed pursuant to that subdivision, notwithstanding Section
3422953, shall be deposited into the Cigarette and Tobacco Products
35Compliance Fund established pursuant to Section 22990. Moneys
36from that civil penalty deposited into this fund shall be made
37available to the State Board of Equalization, upon appropriation
38by the Legislature, for the purposes of meeting its duties under
39subdivision (b).

P8    1(2) The department shall, upon request, provide to the State
2Board of Equalization information concerning any person, firm,
3or corporation that has been assessed a civil penalty for violation
4of the STAKE Act pursuant to this section when the department
5has notified the State Board of Equalization of the violation.

6(d) The enforcing agency shall assess penalties pursuant to the
7schedule set forth in subdivision (a) against a person, firm, or
8corporation that sells, offers for sale, or distributes tobacco products
9from a cigarette or tobacco products vending machine, or a person,
10firm, or corporation that leases, furnishes, or services these
11machines in violation of Section 22960.

12(e) An enforcing agency may assess civil penalties against a
13person, firm, or corporation that sells or deals in tobacco or any
14preparation thereof, and fails to post conspicuously and keep posted
15in the place of business at each point of purchase the notice
16required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 22952. The civil
17penalty shall be in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200) for
18the first offense and five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional
19violation.

20(f) An enforcing agency shall assess penalties in accordance
21with the schedule set forth in subdivision (a) against a person, firm,
22or corporation that advertises or causes to be advertised a tobacco
23product on an outdoor billboard in violation of Section 22961.

24(g) If a civil penalty has been assessed pursuant to this section
25against a person, firm, or corporation for a single, specific violation
26of this division, the person, firm, or corporation shall not be
27prosecuted under Section 308 of the Penal Code for a violation
28based on the same facts or specific incident for which the civil
29penalty was assessed. If a person, firm, or corporation has been
30prosecuted for a single, specific violation of Section 308 of the
31Penal Code, the person, firm, or corporation shall not be assessed
32a civil penalty under this section based on the same facts or specific
33incident upon which the prosecution under Section 308 of the Penal
34Code was based.

35(h) (1) In the case of a corporation or business with more than
36one retail location, to determine the number of accumulated
37violations for purposes of the penalty schedule set forth in
38subdivision (a), violations of this division by one retail location
39shall not be accumulated against other retail locations of that same
40corporation or business.

P9    1(2) In the case of a retail location that operates pursuant to a
2franchise as defined in Section 20001, violations of this division
3accumulated and assessed against a prior owner of a single
4franchise location shall not be accumulated against a new owner
5of the same single franchise location for purposes of the penalty
6schedule set forth in subdivision (a).

7(i) Proceedings under this section shall be conducted pursuant
8to Section 131071 of the Health and Safety Code, except in cases
9where a civil penalty is assessed by an enforcing agency other than
10the department, in which case proceedings shall be conducted
11pursuant to the procedures of that agency that are consistent with
12Section 131071 of the Health and Safety Code.

13

SEC. 5.5.  

Section 22958 of the Business and Professions Code
14 is amended to read:

15

22958.  

(a) begin insert(1)end insertbegin insertend insert An enforcing agency may assess civil penalties
16against any person, firm, or corporation that sells, gives, or in any
17way furnishes to another person who is under 21 years of age, any
18tobacco, cigarette, cigarette papers, any other instrument or
19paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of
20tobacco, tobacco products, or any controlled substance, according
21to the following schedule: (1) a civil penalty of four hundred dollars
22($400) to six hundred dollars ($600) for the first violation, (2) a
23civil penalty of nine hundred dollars ($900) to one thousand dollars
24($1,000) for the second violation within a five-year period, (3) a
25civil penalty of one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) to one
26thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800) for a third violation within
27a five-year period, (4) a civil penalty of three thousand dollars
28($3,000) to four thousand dollars ($4,000) for a fourth violation
29within a five-year period, or (5) a civil penalty of five thousand
30dollars ($5,000) to six thousand dollars ($6,000) for a fifth violation
31within a five-year period.

begin insert

32(2) This subdivision does not apply to the sale, giving, or
33furnishing of any of the products specified in paragraph (1) to
34active duty military personnel who are 18 years of age or older.
35An identification card issued by the United States Armed Forces
36shall be used as proof of age for this purpose.

end insert

37(b) (1) In addition to the civil penalties described in subdivision
38(a), upon the assessment of a civil penalty for the third, fourth, or
39fifth violation, the department, within 60 days of the date of service
40of the final administrative adjudication on the parties or payment
P10   1of the civil penalty for an uncontested violation, shall notify the
2State Board of Equalization of the violation. The State Board of
3Equalization shall then assess a civil penalty of two hundred fifty
4dollars ($250) and suspend or revoke a license issued pursuant to
5Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 22972) of Division 8.6 in
6accordance with the following schedule:

7(A) A 45-day suspension of the license for a third violation at
8the same location within a five-year period.

9(B) A 90-day suspension of the license for a fourth violation at
10the same location within a five-year period.

11(C) Revocation of the license for a fifth violation at the same
12location within a five-year period.

13(2) The provisions of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section
1455121) of Part 30 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
15apply with respect to the collection of the penalty imposed by the
16State Board of Equalization pursuant to paragraph (1).

17(c) (1) For each suspension or revocation pursuant to
18subdivision (b), the civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250)
19assessed pursuant to that subdivision, notwithstanding Section
2022953, shall be deposited into the Cigarette and Tobacco Products
21Compliance Fund established pursuant to Section 22990. Moneys
22from that civil penalty deposited into this fund shall be made
23available to the State Board of Equalization, upon appropriation
24by the Legislature, for the purposes of meeting its duties under
25subdivision (b).

26(2) The department shall, upon request, provide to the State
27Board of Equalization information concerning any person, firm,
28or corporation that has been assessed a civil penalty for violation
29of the STAKE Act pursuant to this section when the department
30has notified the State Board of Equalization of the violation.

31(d) The enforcing agency shall assess penalties pursuant to the
32schedule set forth in subdivision (a) against a person, firm, or
33corporation that sells, offers for sale, or distributes tobacco products
34from a cigarette or tobacco products vending machine, or a person,
35firm, or corporation that leases, furnishes, or services these
36machines in violation of Section 22960.

37(e) An enforcing agency may assess civil penalties against a
38person, firm, or corporation that sells or deals in tobacco or any
39preparation thereof, and fails to post conspicuously and keep posted
40in the place of business at each point of purchase the notice
P11   1required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 22952. The civil
2penalty shall be in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200) for
3the first offense and five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional
4violation.

5(f) An enforcing agency shall assess penalties in accordance
6with the schedule set forth in subdivision (a) against a person, firm,
7or corporation that advertises or causes to be advertised a tobacco
8product on an outdoor billboard in violation of Section 22961.

9(g) If a civil penalty has been assessed pursuant to this section
10against a person, firm, or corporation for a single, specific violation
11of this division, the person, firm, or corporation shall not be
12prosecuted under Section 308 of the Penal Code for a violation
13based on the same facts or specific incident for which the civil
14penalty was assessed. If a person, firm, or corporation has been
15prosecuted for a single, specific violation of Section 308 of the
16Penal Code, the person, firm, or corporation shall not be assessed
17a civil penalty under this section based on the same facts or specific
18incident upon which the prosecution under Section 308 of the Penal
19Code was based.

20(h) (1) In the case of a corporation or business with more than
21one retail location, to determine the number of accumulated
22violations for purposes of the penalty schedule set forth in
23subdivision (a), violations of this division by one retail location
24shall not be accumulated against other retail locations of that same
25corporation or business.

26(2) In the case of a retail location that operates pursuant to a
27franchise as defined in Section 20001, violations of this division
28accumulated and assessed against a prior owner of a single
29franchise location shall not be accumulated against a new owner
30of the same single franchise location for purposes of the penalty
31schedule set forth in subdivision (a).

32(i) Proceedings under this section shall be conducted pursuant
33to Section 131071 of the Health and Safety Code, except in cases
34where a civil penalty is assessed by an enforcing agency other than
35the department, in which case proceedings shall be conducted
36pursuant to the procedures of that agency that are consistent with
37Section 131071 of the Health and Safety Code.

38

SEC. 6.  

Section 22963 of the Business and Professions Code
39 is amended to read:

P12   1

22963.  

(a) The sale, distribution, or nonsale distribution of
2tobacco products directly or indirectly to any person under 21 years
3of age through the United States Postal Service or through any
4other public or private postal or package delivery service at
5locations, including, but not limited to, public mailboxes and
6mailbox stores, is prohibited.

7(b) Any person selling or distributing, or engaging in the nonsale
8distribution of, tobacco products directly to a consumer in the state
9through the United States Postal Service or by any other public or
10private postal or package delivery service, including orders placed
11by mail, telephone, facsimile transmission, or the Internet, shall
12comply with the following provisions:

13(1) (A) Before enrolling a person as a customer, or distributing
14or selling, or engaging in the nonsale distribution of, the tobacco
15product through any of these means, the distributor or seller shall
16verify that the purchaser or recipient of the product is 21 years of
17age or older. The distributor or seller shall attempt to match the
18name, address, and date of birth provided by the customer to
19information contained in records in a database of individuals whose
20age has been verified to be 21 years or older by reference to an
21appropriate database of government records kept by the distributor,
22a direct marketing firm, or any other entity. In the case of a sale,
23the distributor or seller shall also verify that the billing address on
24the check or credit card offered for payment by the purchaser
25matches the address listed in the database.

26(B) If the seller, distributor, or nonsale distributor, is unable to
27verify that the purchaser or recipient is 21 years of age or older
28pursuant to subparagraph (A), he or she shall require the customer
29or recipient to submit an age-verification kit consisting of an
30attestation signed by the customer or recipient that he or she is 21
31years of age or older and a copy of a valid form of government
32identification. For the purposes of this section, a valid form of
33government identification includes a driver’s license, state
34identification card, passport, an official naturalization or
35immigration document, such as an alien registration receipt card
36(commonly known as a “green card”) or an immigrant visa, or
37military identification. In the case of a sale, the distributor or seller
38shall also verify that the billing address on the check or credit card
39provided by the consumer matches the address listed in the form
40of government identification.

P13   1(2) In the case of a sale, the distributor or seller shall impose a
2two-carton minimum on each order of cigarettes, and shall require
3payment for the purchase of any tobacco product to be made by
4personal check of the purchaser or the purchaser’s credit card. No
5money order or cash payment shall be received or permitted. The
6distributor or seller shall submit to each credit card acquiring
7company with which it has credit card sales identification
8information in an appropriate form and format so that the words
9“tobacco product” may be printed in the purchaser’s credit card
10statement when a purchase of a tobacco product is made by credit
11card payment.

12(3) In the case of a sale, the distributor or seller shall make a
13telephone call after 5 p.m. to the purchaser confirming the order
14prior to shipping the tobacco products. The telephone call may be
15a person-to-person call or a recorded message. The distributor or
16seller is not required to speak directly with a person and may leave
17a message on an answering machine or by voice mail.

18(4) The nonsale distributor shall deliver the tobacco product to
19the recipient’s verified mailing address, or in the case of a sale,
20the seller or distributor shall deliver the tobacco product to the
21purchaser’s verified billing address on the check or credit card
22used for payment. No delivery described under this section shall
23be permitted to any post office box.

24(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), if a seller,
25distributor, or nonsale distributor, complies with all of the
26requirements of this section and a person under 21 years of age
27obtains a tobacco product by any of the means described in
28subdivision (b), the seller, distributor, or nonsale distributor is not
29in violation of this section.

30(d) For the purposes of the enforcement of this section pursuant
31to Section 22958, the acts of the United States Postal Service or
32other common carrier when engaged in the business of transporting
33and delivering packages for others, and the acts of a person,
34whether compensated or not, who transports or delivers a package
35for another person without any reason to know of the package’s
36contents, are not unlawful and are not subject to civil penalties.

37(e) (1) (A) For the purposes of this section, a “distributor” is
38any person or entity, within or outside the state, who agrees to
39distribute tobacco products to a customer or recipient within the
40state. The United States Postal Service or any other public or
P14   1private postal or package delivery service are not distributors within
2the meaning of this section.

3(B) A “nonsale distributor” is any person inside or outside of
4this state who, directly or indirectly, knowingly provides tobacco
5products to any person in this state as part of a nonsale transaction.
6“Nonsale distributor” includes the person or entity who provides
7the tobacco product for delivery and the person or entity who
8delivers the product to the recipient as part of a nonsale transaction.

9(C) “Nonsale distribution” means to give smokeless tobacco or
10cigarettes to the general public at no cost, or at nominal cost, or
11to give coupons, coupon offers, gift certificates, gift cards, or other
12similar offers, or rebate offers for smokeless tobacco or cigarettes
13to the general public at no cost or at nominal cost. Distribution of
14tobacco products, coupons, coupon offers, gift certificates, gift
15cards, or other similar offers, or rebate offers in connection with
16the sale of another item, including tobacco products, cigarette
17lighters, magazines, or newspapers shall not constitute nonsale
18distribution.

19(2) For the purpose of this section, a “seller” is any person or
20entity, within or outside the state, who agrees to sell tobacco
21products to a customer within the state. The United States Postal
22Service or any other public or private postal or package delivery
23service are not sellers within the meaning of this section.

24(3) For the purpose of this section, a “carton” is a package or
25container that contains 200 cigarettes.

26(f) A district attorney, city attorney, or the Attorney General
27may assess civil penalties against any person, firm, corporation,
28or other entity that violates this section, according to the following
29schedule:

30(1) A civil penalty of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000)
31and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the first
32violation.

33(2) A civil penalty of not less than two thousand five hundred
34dollars ($2,500) and not more than three thousand five hundred
35dollars ($3,500) for the second violation.

36(3) A civil penalty of not less than four thousand dollars ($4,000)
37and not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) for the third
38violation within a five-year period.

P15   1(4) A civil penalty of not less than five thousand five hundred
2dollars ($5,500) and not more than six thousand five hundred
3dollars ($6,500) for the fourth violation within a five-year period.

4(5) A civil penalty of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for a fifth
5or subsequent violation within a five-year period.

6

SEC. 7.  

Section 22964 is added to the Business and Professions
7Code
, to read:

8

22964.  

This division sets forth minimum state restrictions with
9respect to the legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products
10and does not preempt or otherwise prohibit the adoption of a local
11standard that imposes a more restrictive legal age to purchase or
12possess tobacco products. A local standard that imposes a more
13restrictive legal age to purchase or possess tobacco products shall
14control in the event of any inconsistency between this division and
15a local standard.

16

SEC. 8.  

Section 308 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

17

308.  

(a) (1) (A) begin insert(i)end insertbegin insertend insert Every person, firm, or corporation that
18knowingly or under circumstances in which it has knowledge, or
19should otherwise have grounds for knowledge, sells, gives, or in
20any way furnishes to another person who is under 21 years of age
21any tobacco, cigarette, or cigarette papers, or blunt wraps, or any
22other preparation of tobacco, or any other instrument or
23paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of
24tobacco, products prepared from tobacco, or any controlled
25 substance, is subject to either a criminal action for a misdemeanor
26or to a civil action brought by a city attorney, a county counsel, or
27a district attorney, punishable by a fine of two hundred dollars
28($200) for the first offense, five hundred dollars ($500) for the
29second offense, and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the third
30offense.

begin insert

31(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to the sale, giving, or
32furnishing of any of the products specified in clause (i) to active
33duty military personnel who are 18 years of age or older. An
34identification card issued by the United States Armed Forces shall
35be used as proof of age for this purpose.

end insert

36(B) Notwithstanding Section 1464 or any other law, 25 percent
37of each civil and criminal penalty collected pursuant to this
38subdivision shall be paid to the office of the city attorney, county
39counsel, or district attorney, whoever is responsible for bringing
40the successful action.

P16   1(C) Proof that a defendant, or his or her employee or agent,
2demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon evidence of
3majority shall be defense to any action brought pursuant to this
4subdivision. Evidence of majority of a person is a facsimile of or
5a reasonable likeness of a document issued by a federal, state,
6county, or municipal government, or subdivision or agency thereof,
7 including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle operator’s license, a
8registration certificate issued under the federal Selective Service
9Act, or an identification card issued to a member of the Armed
10Forces.

11(D) For purposes of this section, the person liable for selling or
12furnishing tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age by
13a tobacco vending machine shall be the person authorizing the
14installation or placement of the tobacco vending machine upon
15premises he or she manages or otherwise controls and under
16circumstances in which he or she has knowledge, or should
17otherwise have grounds for knowledge, that the tobacco vending
18machine will be utilized by persons under 21 years of age.

19(2) For purposes of this section, “blunt wraps” means cigar
20papers or cigar wrappers of all types that are designed for smoking
21or ingestion of tobacco products and contain less than 50 percent
22tobacco.

23(b) Every person, firm, or corporation that sells, or deals in
24tobacco or any preparation thereof, shall post conspicuously and
25keep so posted in his, her, or their place of business at each point
26of purchase the notice required pursuant to subdivision (b) of
27Section 22952 of the Business and Professions Code, and any
28person failing to do so shall, upon conviction, be punished by a
29fine of fifty dollars ($50) for the first offense, one hundred dollars
30($100) for the second offense, two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for
31the third offense, and five hundred dollars ($500) for the fourth
32offense and each subsequent violation of this provision, or by
33imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 30 days.

34(c) For purposes of determining the liability of persons, firms,
35or corporations controlling franchises or business operations in
36multiple locations for the second and subsequent violations of this
37section, each individual franchise or business location shall be
38deemed a separate entity.

P17   1(d) It is the Legislature’s intent to regulate the subject matter
2of this section. As a result, a city, county, or city and county shall
3not adopt any ordinance or regulation inconsistent with this section.

4

SEC. 8.5.  

Section 308 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

5

308.  

(a) (1) (A) begin insert(i)end insertbegin insertend insert Every person, firm, or corporation that
6knowingly or under circumstances in which it has knowledge, or
7should otherwise have grounds for knowledge, sells, gives, or in
8any way furnishes to another person who is under 21 years of age
9any tobacco, cigarette, or cigarette papers, or blunt wraps, or any
10other preparation of tobacco, or any other instrument or
11paraphernalia that is designed for the smoking or ingestion of
12tobacco, tobacco products, or any controlled substance, is subject
13 to either a criminal action for a misdemeanor or to a civil action
14brought by a city attorney, a county counsel, or a district attorney,
15punishable by a fine of two hundred dollars ($200) for the first
16offense, five hundred dollars ($500) for the second offense, and
17one thousand dollars ($1,000) for the third offense.

begin insert

18(ii) This subparagraph does not apply to the sale, giving, or
19furnishing of any of the products specified in clause (i) to active
20duty military personnel who are 18 years of age or older. An
21identification card issued by the United States Armed Forces shall
22be used as proof of age for this purpose.

end insert

23(B) Notwithstanding Section 1464 or any other law, 25 percent
24of each civil and criminal penalty collected pursuant to this
25subdivision shall be paid to the office of the city attorney, county
26counsel, or district attorney, whoever is responsible for bringing
27the successful action.

28(C) Proof that a defendant, or his or her employee or agent,
29demanded, was shown, and reasonably relied upon evidence of
30majority shall be defense to any action brought pursuant to this
31subdivision. Evidence of majority of a person is a facsimile of or
32a reasonable likeness of a document issued by a federal, state,
33county, or municipal government, or subdivision or agency thereof,
34including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle operator’s license, a
35registration certificate issued under the federal Selective Service
36Act, or an identification card issued to a member of the Armed
37Forces.

38(D) For purposes of this section, the person liable for selling or
39furnishing tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age by
40a tobacco vending machine shall be the person authorizing the
P18   1installation or placement of the tobacco vending machine upon
2premises he or she manages or otherwise controls and under
3circumstances in which he or she has knowledge, or should
4otherwise have grounds for knowledge, that the tobacco vending
5machine will be utilized by persons under 21 years of age.

6(2) For purposes of this section, “blunt wraps” means cigar
7papers or cigar wrappers of all types that are designed for smoking
8or ingestion of tobacco products and contain less than 50 percent
9tobacco.

10(b) Every person, firm, or corporation that sells, or deals in
11tobacco or any preparation thereof, shall post conspicuously and
12keep so posted in his, her, or their place of business at each point
13of purchase the notice required pursuant to subdivision (b) of
14Section 22952 of the Business and Professions Code, and any
15person failing to do so shall, upon conviction, be punished by a
16fine of fifty dollars ($50) for the first offense, one hundred dollars
17($100) for the second offense, two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for
18the third offense, and five hundred dollars ($500) for the fourth
19offense and each subsequent violation of this provision, or by
20imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 30 days.

21(c) For purposes of determining the liability of persons, firms,
22or corporations controlling franchises or business operations in
23multiple locations for the second and subsequent violations of this
24section, each individual franchise or business location shall be
25deemed a separate entity.

26(d) It is the Legislature’s intent to regulate the subject matter
27of this section. As a result, a city, county, or city and county shall
28not adopt any ordinance or regulation inconsistent with this section.

29(e) For purposes of this section, “smoking” has the same
30meaning as in subdivision (c) of Section 22950.5 of the Business
31and Professions Code.

32(f) For purposes of this section, “tobacco products” means a
33product or device as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 22950.5
34of the Business and Professions Code.

35

SEC. 9.  

(a) Section 5.5 of this bill incorporates amendments
36to Section 22958 of the Business and Professions Code proposed
37by both this bill and Assembly Bill 8 of the Second Extraordinary
38Session, Senate Bill 5 of the Second Extraordinary Session, and
39Assembly Bill 6 of the Second Extraordinary Session. It shall only
40become operative if (1) all bills are enacted, or just this bill and
P19   1either or both Senate Bill 5 of the Second Extraordinary Session
2or Assembly Bill 6 of the Second Extraordinary Session are
3enacted, and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, (2)
4each bill amends Section 22958 of the Business and Professions
5Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 8 of the
6Second Extraordinary Session, Senate Bill 5 of the Second
7Extraordinary Session, and Assembly Bill 6 of the Second
8Extraordinary Session, in which case Section 5 of this bill shall
9not become operative.

10(b) Section 8.5 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section
11308 of the Penal Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly
12Bill 8 of the Second Extraordinary Session, Senate Bill 5 of the
13Second Extraordinary Session, and Assembly Bill 6 of the Second
14Extraordinary Session. It shall only become operative if (1) all
15bills are enacted, or just this bill and either or both Senate Bill 5
16of the Second Extraordinary Session or Assembly Bill 6 of the
17Second Extraordinary Session are enacted, and become effective
18on or before January 1, 2017, (2) each bill amends Section 308 of
19the Penal Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 8
20of the Second Extraordinary Session, Senate Bill 5 of the Second
21Extraordinary Session, and Assembly Bill 6 of the Second
22Extraordinary Session, in which case Section 8 of this bill shall
23not become operative.

24

SEC. 10.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
25Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
26the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
27district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
28infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
29for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of
30the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within
31the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
32Constitution.



O

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