BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 2733
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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
          AB 2733 (Ruskin)
          As Introduced  May 12, 2010
          Majority vote 

           GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION   17-0          JUDICIARY 9-0         
           
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          |Ayes:|Coto, Blakeslee, Chesbro,   |Ayes:|Feuer, Tran, Brownley,  |
          |     |Cook,                       |     |Evans, Hagman, Jones,   |
          |     |De Leon, Evans, Galgiani,   |     |Swanson, Monning, Nava  |
          |     |Hernandez, Hill, Lieu, Ma,  |     |                        |
          |     |Mendoza, V. Manuel Perez,   |     |                        |
          |     |Portantino, Torres,         |     |                        |
          |     |Torrico, Tran               |     |                        |
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           APPROPRIATIONS      16-0                                        
           
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          |Ayes:|Fuentes, Conway, Hill,    |     |                          |
          |     |Bradford, Charles         |     |                          |
          |     |Calderon, Coto, Davis,    |     |                          |
          |     |Hall, Harkey, Miller,     |     |                          |
          |     |Nielsen, Norby, Skinner,  |     |                          |
          |     |Solorio, Torlakson,       |     |                          |
          |     |Torrico                   |     |                          |
          |     |                          |     |                          |
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           SUMMARY  :  Prohibits the transfer of title or possession of  
          cigarettes or tobacco products without consideration, exchange,  
          or barter if the cigarettes or tobacco products had been  
          purchased for resale under a license issued pursuant to the  
          California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act (Act)  
          and the transfer occurs without a license or after receipt of a  
          notice of suspension or revocation of the license.   
          Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)Prohibits certain displays of cigarettes or tobacco products.   


          2)Imposes prescribed notices to be posted when a license has  
            been posted when a license has been suspended or revoked by  
            the State Board of Equalization (BOE), and would make  








                                                                  AB 2733
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            violation  of these posting requirements subject to a civil  
            penalty of $1,000 for each offense.

           EXISTING LAW  :  

          1)Establishes the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products  
            Licensing Act and provides for the licensure by the BOE of  
            manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, importers, and  
            retailers of cigarette or tobacco products that are engaged in  
            business in California.

          2)Prohibits retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and  
            wholesalers from distributing or selling cigarettes and  
            tobacco products unless they are licensed.

          3)Authorizes the BOE to suspend or revoke the license of any  
            manufacturer, distributor, wholesaler, importer, or retailer  
            of tobacco products that is in violation of the law.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, workload costs for the BOE would be minor and  
          absorbable within existing resources. 

          In addition, the Assembly Appropriations Committee estimates  
          potential minor non-reimbursable costs to counties for  
          prosecution and incarceration related to violations of the  
          bill's provisions, offset to some extent by fine revenues.   
          (This bill expands provisions of current law, the violation of  
          which is a misdemeanor.)

           COMMENTS  :  This bill would prohibit a license holder from  
          gifting or displaying for sale cigarettes or tobacco products  
          during a period of suspension or after revocation of a license.   


          According to the BOE, the sponsor, this bill is intended to  
          provide the necessary clarification to licensees that gifting  
          cigarettes or tobacco products or the displaying of such  
          products in retail stock in a retail sales area is prohibited  
          during periods of license suspension or revocation, thus  
          avoiding further violations of the Act.  These types of  
          violations of the Act are punishable, in part, by the seizure  
          and forfeiture of all cigarettes and tobacco products, which can  
          have a substantial financial effect on the licensee. 








                                                                  AB 2733
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           Analysis Prepared by  :    Rod Brewer / G. O. / (916) 319-2531 


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