CHAPTER 214
CIGARETTE TAXES

PART I
TAX ON CIGARETTES HELD FOR SALE

      Sec. 12-286a. Notice of restriction on sale of cigarettes and tobacco products. Investigation by Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Penalties. (a) Each distributor and each dealer, as defined in section 12-285, shall place and maintain in legible condition at each point of sale of cigarettes to consumers, including the front of each vending machine, and each restricted cigarette vending machine a notice which states (1) that the sale, giving or delivering of tobacco products, including cigarettes, to any person under eighteen years of age is prohibited by section 53-344, (2) the purchase or misrepresentation of age by a person under eighteen years of age to purchase cigarettes or tobacco products is prohibited by said section 53-344, and (3) the penalties and fines for violating said section 53-344 and section 12-295a.

      (b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars.

      (c) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may investigate any alleged violation of the provisions of subsection (a) of this section and, if there appears to be reasonable cause therefor, on reasonable notice to any person accused of any such violation, may make complaint to the prosecuting authority having jurisdiction of any such complaint or may, after notice and a hearing as provided in section 20-321, fine a distributor or dealer who violates said subsection (a) one hundred dollars per violation. Each day a distributor or dealer fails to post a notice in violation of subsection (a) of this section shall be a separate violation.

      (P.A. 92-66, S. 3; P.A. 96-240, S. 2, 10; P.A. 07-175, S. 2.)

      History: P.A. 96-240 amended Subsec. (a) to include reference to restricted cigarette vending machines and to require notice of penalties for certain violations, effective June 6, 1996; P.A. 07-175 added Subsec. (c) authorizing Commissioner of Consumer Protection to conduct investigations, and impose penalties for violations.

      Sec. 12-295. Suspension or revocation of license. Civil penalty. Issuance of new license after revocation. (a) The commissioner may suspend or revoke the license of any dealer or distributor for failure to comply with any provision of this chapter or regulations related thereto or for the sale or delivery of tobacco in any form to a minor under eighteen years of age, following a hearing with respect to which notice in writing, specifying the time and place of such hearing and requiring such dealer or distributor to show cause why such license should not be revoked, is mailed or delivered to such dealer or distributor not less than ten days preceding the date of such hearing. Such notice may be served personally or by registered or certified mail.

      (b) If the commissioner finds, after a hearing as provided in subsection (a) of this section, that a dealer has violated any provision of sections 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, the commissioner shall, for a first violation, suspend such dealer's license for not less than seven days and assess a civil penalty of not less than one thousand dollars and, for a second or subsequent violation within a five-year period, suspend such dealer's license for not less than thirty days and assess a civil penalty of not less than five thousand dollars. The commissioner shall order such dealer to conspicuously post a notice in a public place stating that cigarettes cannot be sold during the period of such suspension and the reason therefor. Any sale of cigarettes by such dealer during the period of such suspension shall be deemed an additional violation of said sections.

      (c) If the commissioner finds, after a hearing as provided in subsection (a) of this section, that a distributor has violated any provision of sections 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, the commissioner shall (1) for a first violation, suspend such distributor's license for not less than seven days and assess a civil penalty of not more than ten thousand dollars, (2) for a second violation within a five-year period, suspend such distributor's license for not less than thirty days and assess a civil penalty of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars, and (3) for a subsequent violation within a five-year period, revoke such distributor's license and assess a civil penalty of not more than fifty thousand dollars, except that if the violation is of subsection (b) of section 12-326b, the commissioner shall assess an additional civil penalty of one thousand dollars for each carton of cigarettes sold or bought in violation of said subsection. The commissioner shall order such distributor to conspicuously post a notice in a public place stating that cigarettes cannot be sold during the period of such suspension and the reason therefor. Any sale of cigarettes by such distributor during the period of such suspension shall be deemed an additional violation of said sections.

      (d) The commissioner shall not issue a new license to a former licensee whose license was revoked unless the commissioner is satisfied that such former licensee will comply with the provisions of this chapter or regulations related thereto.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1978; 1967, P.A. 788, S. 7; P.A. 84-492, S. 2, 8; 84-525, S. 7, 8; P.A. 93-368, S. 1; P.A. 94-80, S. 2, 3; P.A. 05-221, S. 1; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 24.)

      History: 1967 act allowed suspension of license in addition to revocation and allowed either action to be taken upon conviction for acquiring, possessing or selling cigarettes illegally; P.A. 84-492 and P.A. 84-525 provided for revocation for failure to comply with regulations, removed the reference to revocation based on conviction of acquiring, possessing or selling cigarettes illegally, set out hearing procedures and included provisions concerning the commissioner's power to not issue a license to a person whose license was previously revoked; P.A. 93-368 designated provisions re suspension or revocation of licenses as Subsec. (a) and amended said Subsec. to authorize the commissioner to suspend or revoke a license for failure to comply with Sec. 53-344(a), inserted new Subsec. (b) re the sanctions and penalties imposed by the commissioner upon a dealer or distributor who has violated any provision of Secs. 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, and designated provisions re issuance of a new license to a former licensee as Subsec. (c); P.A. 94-80 amended Subsec. (a) replacing "subsection (a) of section 53-344" with "the sale or delivery of tobacco in any form to a minor under eighteen years of age" to be subject to suspension or revocation of license, effective May 25, 1994; P.A. 05-221 amended Subsec. (b) to limit provisions to sanctions and penalties imposed by the commissioner upon a dealer by deleting references to a distributor, specify the penalty is a "civil" penalty and make technical changes, added new Subsec. (c) re the sanctions and penalties imposed by the commissioner upon a distributor who has violated any provision of Secs. 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 amended Subsec. (c) to add additional civil penalty of $1,000 for each carton sold or bought in violation of Sec. 12-326b(b), effective January 1, 2008.

      Sec. 12-295a. Purchase by, or sale to, minors. Penalties. Suspension of licenses. Appeals. (a) If the Commissioner of Revenue Services finds, after a hearing, that a minor has purchased cigarettes or tobacco products, said commissioner shall assess such minor a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for the first violation and not more than one hundred fifty dollars for any second or subsequent offense.

      (b) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any person employed by a dealer or distributor, as defined in section 12-285, has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, said commissioner shall assess such person a civil penalty of two hundred dollars for the first violation and two hundred fifty dollars for a second or subsequent violation within eighteen months.

      (c) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any dealer or distributor has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, or such dealer or distributor's employee has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to such minor, said commissioner shall assess such dealer or distributor a civil penalty of three hundred dollars for the first violation and seven hundred fifty dollars for a second violation within eighteen months. For a third violation within eighteen months, such dealer or distributor shall be assessed a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars and any license held by such dealer or distributor under this chapter shall be suspended for not less than thirty days.

      (d) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any owner of an establishment in which a cigarette vending machine or restricted cigarette vending machine is located has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products from any such machine to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, or has allowed cigarettes or tobacco products to be sold, given or delivered to such minor from any such machine, said commissioner shall assess such owner a civil penalty of five hundred dollars for the first violation and seven hundred fifty dollars for a second violation within eighteen months. For a third violation within eighteen months, such owner shall be assessed a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars and any such machine shall be immediately removed from such establishment and no such machine may be placed in such establishment for a period of one year following such removal.

      (e) Any person aggrieved by any action of the commissioner pursuant to this section may take any appeal of such action as provided in sections 12-311 and 12-312.

      (P.A. 96-240, S. 6, 10; P.A. 07-175, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 96-240 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 07-175 raised amounts of civil penalties in Subsecs. (a) to (d) and made technical changes in Subsec. (d).

      Sec. 12-296. Imposition of tax. A tax is imposed on all cigarettes held in this state by any person for sale, said tax to be at the rate of one hundred mills for each cigarette and the payment thereof shall be for the account of the purchaser or consumer of such cigarettes and shall be evidenced by the affixing of stamps to the packages containing the cigarettes as provided in this chapter.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1979; 1955, S. 1128d; November, 1955, S. N136; 1957, P.A. 582, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 578, S. 12; 604, S. 6; 1963, P.A. 651, S. 3; February, 1965, P.A. 326, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 608, S. 1; June, 1969, P.A. 1, S. 44; June, 1971, P.A. 5, S. 114; 8, S. 25; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-1, S. 2, 15; P.A. 89-16, S. 4, 31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 131, 168; P.A. 93-74, S. 13, 14, 67; P.A. 02-1, S. 1; P.A. 03-2, S. 29; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1, S. 124.)

      History: 1961 acts increased rate, decreased allocation to soldiers, sailors and marines fund from 1/6 to 1/10 of proceeds, and changed fund's upper limit to a market value of $30,000,000; 1963 act further increased rate and deleted provision for allocating any of the proceeds to said fund; 1965 act increased tax rate from 3 to 4 mills per cigarette; 1969 acts temporarily increased rate to 7.25 mills per cigarette from July 1, 1969, to June 30, 1971, and further increased temporary rate to 8 mills; 1971 acts extended closing date for higher rate to June 30, 1973, and then permanently increased rate to 10.5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-1 increased the rate of tax to 13 mills for each cigarette; P.A. 89-16 increased the rate of tax to 20 mills for each cigarette, effective March 23, 1989, and applicable to cigarettes held for sale on or after April 1, 1989; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 increased the rate of tax to 22.5 mills for each cigarette, effective August 22, 1991, and applicable to cigarettes held for sale on or after October 1, 1991; P.A. 93-74, S. 13, increased the rate of tax to 23.5 mills for each cigarette, effective May 19, 1993, and applicable to sales of cigarettes occurring on and after July 1, 1993, and P.A. 93-74, S. 14, increased the rate of tax to 25 mills for each cigarette, effective May 19, 1993, and applicable to sales of cigarettes occurring on and after July 1, 1994; P.A. 02-1 increased the rate of tax to 55.5 mills for each cigarette, effective April 3, 2002; P.A. 03-2 changed rate to 75.5 mills, effective February 28, 2003, and applicable to sales occurring on or after March 15, 2003; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1 increased rate of tax from 75.5 mills to 100 mills for each cigarette, effective July 1, 2007, and applicable to sales occurring on or after that date.

      Sec. 12-302. *(See end of section for amended version of subsection (b) and effective date.) Distributors to affix stamps. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, each distributor shall affix, or cause to be affixed, at the location for which such distributor's license is issued, in such manner as the commissioner may specify in regulations issued pursuant to this chapter, to each individual package of cigarettes sold or distributed by the distributor, stamps of the proper denomination, as required by section 12-296. Such stamps may be affixed by a distributor at any time before the cigarettes are transferred out of the distributor's possession.

      *(b) No distributor shall affix, or cause to be affixed, to a package of cigarettes sold or distributed by such distributor, stamps, if the package (1) is not labeled in conformity with the requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 79 Stat. 282, 15 USC 1331 et seq., or any other federal requirement for the placement of labels, warnings and other information, applicable to packages of cigarettes that are intended to be sold within the United States; (2) bears any label or notice prescribed by the United States Department of Treasury to identify cigarettes intended for export and exempt from tax by the United States pursuant to 26 USC 5704(b), including "For export only", "U.S. Tax-exempt", "For use outside U.S." or similar wording indicating that the manufacturer did not intend that the product be sold within the United States, including any notice or label described in 27 CFR 290.185; (3) has been imported into the United States after January 1, 2000, in violation of 26 USC 5754 or regulations adopted thereunder; (4) in any way violates federal trademark or copyright law or if all federal taxes due have not been paid on the cigarettes; (5) has been modified or altered by a person other than the manufacturer or person specifically authorized by the manufacturer, including modification or alteration by the placement of a sticker or label to cover information, including the wording, labels or warnings described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection, on the package; or (6) has been manufactured or sold by a tobacco product manufacturer that is in violation of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 4-28i or section 4-28j and the distributor has been notified by the commissioner of such violation. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-15, the commissioner may disclose to the public the name of any person who has violated the provisions of section 4-28i or 4-28j.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1984; P.A. 99-109, S. 1, 8; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 102.)

      *Note: On and after July 1, 2008, subsection (b) of this section, as amended by section 7 of public act 07-180, is to read as follows:

      "(b) No distributor shall affix, or cause to be affixed, to a package of cigarettes sold or distributed by such distributor, stamps, if the package (1) is not labeled in conformity with the requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 79 Stat. 282, 15 USC 1331 et seq., or any other federal requirement for the placement of labels, warnings and other information, applicable to packages of cigarettes that are intended to be sold within the United States; (2) bears any label or notice prescribed by the United States Department of Treasury to identify cigarettes intended for export and exempt from tax by the United States pursuant to 26 USC 5704(b), including "For export only", "U.S. Tax-exempt", "For use outside U.S." or similar wording indicating that the manufacturer did not intend that the product be sold within the United States, including any notice or label described in 27 CFR 290.185; (3) has been imported into the United States after January 1, 2000, in violation of 26 USC 5754 or regulations adopted thereunder; (4) in any way violates federal trademark or copyright law or if all federal taxes due have not been paid on the cigarettes; (5) has been modified or altered by a person other than the manufacturer or person specifically authorized by the manufacturer, including modification or alteration by the placement of a sticker or label to cover information, including the wording, labels or warnings described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection, on the package; (6) is of a brand family or of a tobacco product manufacturer not included in the Connecticut Tobacco Directory maintained by the Commissioner of Revenue Services pursuant to section 4-28m; or (7) is of cigarettes not included in the Connecticut Fire Safe Cigarette Directory maintained by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to section 29-420."

      (1949 Rev., S. 1984; P.A. 99-109, S. 1, 8; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 102; P.A. 07-180, S. 7.)

      History: P.A. 99-109 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), making technical changes therein, and added Subsec. (b) to prohibit stamping of cigarettes produced and labeled for export only, effective July 1, 1999; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subsec. (b) to disallow stamping of cigarette packages sold by manufacturers who are in violation of the escrow fund requirements of the interstate tobacco settlement and to authorize the publication of the names of such violators; P.A. 07-180 amended Subsec. (b) to delete former Subdiv. (6) re violation of Sec. 4-28i(a)(2) or 4-28j and add new Subdivs. (6) re brand family or manufacturer not included in Connecticut Tobacco Directory and (7) re cigarettes not included in Connecticut Fire Safe Cigarette Directory, effective July 1, 2008.

      Sec. 12-303. *(See end of section for amended version of subsection (b) and effective date.) Dealers to affix stamps. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, each dealer shall, within twenty-four hours after coming into possession of any cigarettes not bearing proper stamps evidencing payment of the tax imposed by this chapter, and before selling such cigarettes, affix or cause to be affixed, at the location for which such dealer's license is issued, in such manner as the commissioner may specify in regulations issued pursuant to this chapter, to each individual package of cigarettes, stamps of the proper denomination, as required by section 12-296.

      *(b) No dealer shall affix, or cause to be affixed, to a package of cigarettes sold or distributed by such dealer, stamps, if the package (1) is not labeled in conformity with the requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 79 Stat. 282, 15 USC 1331 et seq., or any other federal requirement for the placement of labels, warnings and other information, applicable to packages of cigarettes that are intended to be sold within the United States; (2) bears any label or notice prescribed by the United States Department of Treasury to identify cigarettes intended for export and exempt from tax by the United States pursuant to 26 USC 5704(b), including "For export only", "U.S. Tax-exempt", "For use outside U.S." or similar wording indicating that the manufacturer did not intend that the product be sold within the United States, including any notice or label described in 27 CFR 290.185; (3) has been imported into the United States after January 1, 2000, in violation of 26 USC 5754 or regulations adopted thereunder; (4) in any way violates federal trademark or copyright law or if all federal taxes due have not been paid on the cigarettes; (5) has been modified or altered by a person other than the manufacturer or person specifically authorized by the manufacturer, including modification or alteration by the placement of a sticker or label to cover information, including the wording, labels or warnings described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection, on the package; or (6) has been manufactured or sold by a tobacco product manufacturer that is in violation of subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 4-28i or section 4-28j and the dealer has been notified by the commissioner of such violation. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 12-15, the commissioner may disclose to the public the name of any person who has violated the provisions of section 4-28i or 4-28j.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1985; P.A. 99-109, S. 2, 8; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 103.)

      *Note: On and after July 1, 2008, subsection (b) of this section, as amended by section 8 of public act 07-180, is to read as follows:

      "(b) No dealer shall affix, or cause to be affixed, to a package of cigarettes sold or distributed by such dealer, stamps, if the package (1) is not labeled in conformity with the requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, 79 Stat. 282, 15 USC 1331 et seq., or any other federal requirement for the placement of labels, warnings and other information, applicable to packages of cigarettes that are intended to be sold within the United States; (2) bears any label or notice prescribed by the United States Department of Treasury to identify cigarettes intended for export and exempt from tax by the United States pursuant to 26 USC 5704(b), including "For export only", "U.S. Tax-exempt", "For use outside U.S." or similar wording indicating that the manufacturer did not intend that the product be sold within the United States, including any notice or label described in 27 CFR 290.185; (3) has been imported into the United States after January 1, 2000, in violation of 26 USC 5754 or regulations adopted thereunder; (4) in any way violates federal trademark or copyright law or if all federal taxes due have not been paid on the cigarettes; (5) has been modified or altered by a person other than the manufacturer or person specifically authorized by the manufacturer, including modification or alteration by the placement of a sticker or label to cover information, including the wording, labels or warnings described in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection, on the package; (6) is of a brand family or of a tobacco product manufacturer not included in the Connecticut Tobacco Directory maintained by the Commissioner of Revenue Services pursuant to section 4-28m; or (7) is of cigarettes not included in the Connecticut Fire Safe Cigarette Directory maintained by the State Fire Marshal pursuant to section 29-420."

      (1949 Rev., S. 1985; P.A. 99-109, S. 2, 8; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 103; P.A. 07-180, S. 8.)

      History: P.A. 99-109 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), making technical changes therein, and added Subsec. (b) to prohibit stamping of cigarettes produced and labeled for export only, effective July 1, 1999; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 amended Subsec. (b) to disallow stamping of cigarette packages sold by manufacturers who are in violation of the escrow fund requirements of the interstate tobacco settlement and to authorize the publication of the names of such violators; P.A. 07-180 amended Subsec. (b) to delete former Subdiv. (6) re violation of Sec. 4-28i(a)(2) or 4-28j and add new Subdivs. (6) re brand family or manufacturer not included in Connecticut Tobacco Directory and (7) re cigarettes not included in Connecticut Fire Safe Cigarette Directory, effective July 1, 2008.

PART II
TAX ON USE OR STORAGE OF UNSTAMPED CIGARETTES

      Sec. 12-316. Imposition of tax. A tax is hereby imposed at the rate of one hundred mills for each cigarette upon the storage or use within this state of any unstamped cigarettes in the possession of any person other than a licensed distributor or dealer, or a carrier for transit from without this state to a licensed distributor or dealer within this state. Any person, including distributors, dealers, carriers, warehousemen and consumers, last having possession of unstamped cigarettes in this state shall be liable for the tax on such cigarettes if such cigarettes are unaccounted for in transit, storage or otherwise, and in such event a presumption shall exist for the purpose of taxation that such cigarettes were used and consumed in Connecticut.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1998; November, 1955, S. N141; 1961, P.A. 578, S. 13; 604, S. 8; 1963, P.A. 651, S. 5; February, 1965, P.A. 326, S. 3; 1967, P.A. 788, S. 14; 1969, P.A. 608, S. 3; June, 1969, P.A. 1, S. 46; June, 1971, P.A. 5, S. 116; 8, S. 27; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-1, S. 3, 15; P.A. 89-16, S. 5, 31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 132, 168; P.A. 93-74, S. 15, 16, 67; P.A. 02-1, S. 2; P.A. 03-2, S. 30; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1, S. 125.)

      History: 1961 acts increased tax rate, reduced fraction of proceeds to be allocated to soldiers, sailors and marines fund, and reduced maximum limit on fund; 1963 act increased tax rate and deleted provision for allocating any fraction of proceeds to said fund; 1965 act increased tax rate from 3 to 4 mills; 1967 act made persons last having possession of unstamped cigarettes in state liable for tax if cigarettes unaccounted for; 1969 acts temporarily raised tax rate to 7.25 mills for period between July 1, 1969, and June 30, 1971, and further increased temporary rate to 8 mills; 1971 acts extended closing date for temporary increase to June 30, 1973, and later increased rate to 10.5 mills permanently; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-1 increased the rate of tax to 13 mills for each cigarette; P.A. 89-16 increased the rate of tax to 20 mills for each cigarette, effective March 23, 1989, and applicable to cigarettes held for sale on or after April 1, 1989; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 increased the rate of tax to 22.5 mills for each cigarette, effective August 22, 1991, and applicable to cigarettes held for sale on or after October 1, 1991; P.A. 93-74, S. 15, increased the rate of tax to 23.5 mills for each cigarette, effective May 19, 1993, and applicable to sales of cigarettes occurring on and after July 1, 1993, and P.A. 93-74, S. 16, increased the rate of tax to 25 mills for each cigarette, effective May 19, 1993, and applicable to sales of cigarettes occurring on and after July 1, 1994; P.A. 02-1 increased the rate of tax to 55.5 mills for each cigarette, effective April 3, 2002; P.A. 03-2 changed rate to 75.5 mills, effective February 28, 2003, and applicable to sales occurring on or after March 15, 2003; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-1 increased rate of tax from 75.5 mills to 100 mills for each cigarette, effective July 1, 2007, and applicable to the storage or use of unstamped cigarettes occurring on or after that date.

PART III
REGULATION OF SALE OF CIGARETTES

      Sec. 12-326b. Sale or purchase of below cost cigarettes by dealers and distributors prohibited. Unfair trade practice. (a) No dealer shall, with intent to injure competitors or destroy or substantially lessen competition, sell cigarettes in this state below cost and no dealer shall, with intent to injure competitors or destroy or substantially lessen competition, buy cigarettes in this state below cost.

      (b) No distributor shall, with intent to injure competitors or destroy or substantially lessen competition, sell cigarettes in this state below cost and no distributor shall, with intent to injure competitors or destroy or substantially lessen competition, buy cigarettes in this state below cost.

      (c) A violation of subsection (b) of this section shall be an unfair or deceptive act or practice pursuant to subsection (a) of section 42-110b.

      (P.A. 90-293, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 22.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same to delete references to distributors, and added Subsec. (b) re distributors and Subsec. (c) re unfair or deceptive acts or practices, effective January 1, 2008.

      Sec. 12-326g. Penalty. (a) Any dealer violating any provision of sections 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars for the first offense and not more than five hundred dollars for each subsequent offense.

      (b) Any distributor violating any provision of sections 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars for the first offense, not more than five thousand dollars for the second offense, and not more than ten thousand dollars for each subsequent offense, except that, if the violation is of subsection (b) of section 12-326b, such distributor shall be fined an additional one thousand dollars for each carton of cigarettes sold or bought in violation of said subsection.

      (P.A. 90-293, S. 4; P.A. 05-221, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5, S. 23.)

      History: P.A. 05-221 designated provision re penalty for a dealer violating any provision of Secs. 12-326a to 12-326h, inclusive, as Subsec. (a) and amended same to specify that the fines are the maximum fines rather than the minimum fines and designated provisions re penalty for a stamping agent, subjobber or chain store violating any provision of said sections as Subsec. (b) and amended same to replace "stamping agent, subjobber or chain store" with "distributor", replace the fine of not less than $500 with a fine of not more than $1,000 for a first offense and replace the fine of not less than $1,000 for each subsequent offense with a fine of not more than $5,000 for a second offense and not more than $10,000 for each subsequent offense; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-5 amended Subsec. (b) to provide that distributors be fined an additional $1,000 for each carton sold or bought in violation of Sec. 12-326b(b), effective January 1, 2008.