CS/HB 1167

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to the Reduced Cigarette Ignition
3Propensity Standard and Firefighter Protection Act;
4creating s. 633.042, F.S.; providing a short title;
5providing legislative findings and intent; providing
6definitions; providing cigarette testing methods and
7performance standards; providing specific testing
8criteria; requiring manufacturers to provide certain
9written certification; requiring cigarettes to be marked
10in specific manners; providing for alternative testing
11methods under certain circumstances; providing reporting
12requirements; providing the Division of Alcoholic
13Beverages and Tobacco with certain powers and
14responsibilities; providing certification requirements for
15manufacturers; providing fee; providing requirements for
16the marking of certain cigarette packaging; providing
17reporting requirements; providing approval requirements
18for markings submitted to the division by a manufacturer;
19providing notification requirements; providing fines and
20penalties; providing the division with rulemaking
21authority; authorizing certain governmental entities with
22inspection powers to examine specified documents of any
23person in possession, control, or occupancy of any
24premises where cigarettes are placed, stored, sold, or
25offered for sale, as well as the stock of cigarettes on
26the premises; providing that nothing in the act shall be
27construed to prohibit any person or entity from
28manufacturing or selling cigarettes that do not meet the
29specified requirements if such cigarettes are or will be
30stamped for sale in another state or are packaged for sale
31outside the United States; providing for repeal upon the
32enactment of a preemptive federal standard; prohibiting
33local government units from enacting and enforcing any
34ordinance or other local law or regulation that conflicts
35with, or is preempted by, any provision of the act;
36providing effective dates.
37
38Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
39
40     Section 1.  Section 633.042, Florida Statutes, is created
41to read:
42     633.042  Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standard and
43Firefighter Protection Act.--
44     (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the
45"Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity Standard and Firefighter
46Protection Act."
47     (2)  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT.--The Legislature
48finds and declares that:
49     (a)  Cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths in
50this state and in the nation.
51     (b)  Each year in the United States, between 700 and 900
52persons are killed and around 3,000 persons are injured in fires
53ignited by cigarettes, while in this state 153 residential fires
54and 5 fatalities were attributable to fires caused by cigarettes
55in 2006.
56     (c)  A high percentage of the victims of cigarette fires
57are nonsmokers, including senior citizens and young children.
58     (d)  Fires caused by cigarettes result in billions of
59dollars in property losses and damages in the United States and
60millions of dollars in property losses and damages in this
61state.
62     (e)  Cigarette fires unnecessarily jeopardize the safety of
63firefighters and result in avoidable emergency response costs
64for municipalities.
65     (f)  In 2004, the State of New York implemented a cigarette
66firesafety regulation requiring cigarettes sold in that state to
67meet a firesafety performance standard; in 2005, Vermont and
68California enacted cigarette firesafety laws directly
69incorporating New York's regulation into statute; and in 2006,
70Illinois, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts joined these states
71in enacting similar laws.
72     (g)  In 2005, Canada implemented the New York State
73firesafety standard, becoming the first country to have a
74nationwide cigarette firesafety standard.
75     (h)  New York State's cigarette firesafety standard is
76based upon decades of research by the National Institute of
77Standards and Technology, Congressional research groups, and
78private industry. This cigarette firesafety standard minimizes
79costs to the state; minimally burdens cigarette manufacturers,
80distributors, and retail sellers; and, therefore, should become
81law in this state.
82     (i)  It is therefore fitting and proper for this state to
83adopt the cigarette firesafety standard that is in effect in the
84State of New York to reduce the likelihood that cigarettes will
85cause fires and result in deaths, injuries, and property
86damages.
87     (3)  DEFINITIONS.--For the purposes of this section:
88     (a)  "Agent" means any person authorized by the Division of
89Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco of the Department of Business
90and Professional Regulation to purchase and affix stamps on
91packages of cigarettes.
92     (b)  "Cigarette" means:
93     1.  Any roll for smoking, whether made wholly or in part of
94tobacco or any other substance, irrespective of size or shape,
95and whether such tobacco or substance is flavored, adulterated,
96or mixed with any other ingredient, the wrapper or cover of
97which is made of paper or any other substance or material other
98than tobacco; or
99     2.  Any roll for smoking that is wrapped in any substance
100containing tobacco and that, because of the type of tobacco used
101in the filler or its packaging and labeling, is likely to be
102offered to, or purchased by, consumers as a cigarette as
103described in subparagraph 1.
104     (c)  "Division" means the Division of Alcoholic Beverages
105and Tobacco of the Department of Business and Professional
106Regulation.
107     (d)  "Manufacturer" means:
108     1.  Any entity that manufactures or produces, or causes to
109be manufactured or produced, regardless of location, cigarettes
110that such manufacturer intends to be sold in this state,
111including cigarettes intended to be sold in the United States
112through an importer;
113     2.  Any entity, regardless of location, that first
114purchases cigarettes manufactured anywhere and not intended by
115the original manufacturer or maker to be sold in the United
116States and that intends to resell such cigarettes in the United
117States; or
118     3.  Any entity that becomes a successor of an entity
119described in subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2.
120     (e)  "Quality control and quality assurance program" means
121laboratory procedures implemented to ensure that operator bias,
122systematic and nonsystematic methodological errors, and
123equipment-related problems do not affect the results of
124laboratory testing. Such a program shall ensure that the testing
125repeatability remains within the required repeatability values
126stated in subparagraph (4)(a)6. for all test trials used to
127certify cigarettes in accordance with this section.
128     (f)  "Repeatability" means the range of values within which
129the results of repeated cigarette test trials from a single
130laboratory will fall 95 percent of the time.
131     (g)  "Retail dealer" means any person, other than a
132manufacturer or wholesale dealer, engaged in selling cigarettes.
133     (h)  "Sale" means any transfer of title or possession or
134both, exchange or barter, conditional or otherwise, in any
135manner or by any means whatever or any agreement therefor. In
136addition to cash and credit sales, the giving of cigarettes as
137samples, prizes, or gifts and the exchanging of cigarettes for
138any consideration other than money are considered sales.
139     (i)  "Sell" means to execute a sale or to offer or agree to
140execute a sale.
141     (j)  "Wholesale dealer" means:
142     1.  Any person other than a manufacturer who sells
143cigarettes to retail dealers or other persons for purposes of
144resale; or
145     2.  Any person who owns, operates, or maintains one or more
146cigarette or tobacco-product vending machines in, at, or upon
147premises owned or occupied by any other person.
148     (4)  TEST METHOD AND PERFORMANCE STANDARD.--
149     (a)  Except as provided in paragraph (g), no cigarettes may
150be sold or offered for sale in this state, or sold or offered
151for sale to persons located in this state, unless the cigarettes
152have been tested in accordance with the test method and meet the
153performance standard specified in this subsection, a written
154certification has been filed by the manufacturer with the
155division in accordance with subsection (5), and the cigarettes
156have been marked in accordance with subsection (6).
157     1.  Testing of cigarettes shall be conducted in accordance
158with the American Society for Testing and Materials standard
159E2187-04, "Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition
160Strength of Cigarettes."
161     2.  Testing shall be conducted on 10 layers of filter
162paper.
163     3.  No more than 25 percent of the cigarettes tested in a
164test trial in accordance with this subsection shall exhibit
165full-length burns. Forty replicate tests shall comprise a
166complete test trial for each cigarette tested.
167     4.  The performance standard required by this subsection
168shall only be applied to a complete test trial.
169     5.  Written certifications shall be based upon testing
170conducted by a laboratory that has been accredited pursuant to
171standard ISO/IEC 17025 of the International Organization for
172Standardization or another comparable accreditation standard
173required by the division.
174     6.  Laboratories conducting testing in accordance with this
175subsection shall implement a quality control and quality
176assurance program that includes a procedure that will determine
177the repeatability of the testing results. The repeatability
178value shall be no greater than 0.19.
179     7.  This subsection does not require additional testing if
180cigarettes are tested consistently with this section for any
181other purpose.
182     8.  The division may, in its discretion, perform or sponsor
183testing to determine a cigarette's compliance with the required
184performance standard. Any such discretionary compliance testing
185by the division shall be conducted in accordance with this
186subsection.
187     (b)  Each cigarette listed in a certification submitted
188pursuant to subsection (5) that uses lowered permeability bands
189in the cigarette paper to achieve compliance with the
190performance standard set forth in this subsection shall have at
191least two nominally identical bands on the paper surrounding the
192tobacco column. At least one complete band shall be located at
193least 15 millimeters from the lighting end of the cigarette. For
194cigarettes on which the bands are positioned by design, there
195shall be at least two bands fully located at least 15
196millimeters from the lighting end and 10 millimeters from the
197filter end of the tobacco column, or 10 millimeters from the
198labeled end of the tobacco column for nonfiltered cigarettes.
199     (c)  A manufacturer of a cigarette that the division
200determines cannot be tested in accordance with the test method
201prescribed in subparagraph (a)1. shall propose a test method and
202performance standard for the cigarette to the division. Upon
203approval of the proposed test method and a determination by the
204division that the performance standard proposed by the
205manufacturer is equivalent to the performance standard
206prescribed in subparagraph (a)3., the manufacturer may employ
207such test method and performance standard to certify such
208cigarette pursuant to subsection (5). If the division determines
209that another state has enacted reduced cigarette ignition
210propensity standards that include a test method and performance
211standard that are the same as those contained in this section,
212and if the division finds that the officials responsible for
213implementing those requirements have approved the proposed
214alternative test method and performance standard for a
215particular cigarette proposed by a manufacturer as meeting the
216firesafety standards of that state's law or regulation under a
217legal provision comparable to this subsection, the division
218shall authorize that manufacturer to employ the alternative test
219method and performance standard to certify that cigarette for
220sale in this state unless the division demonstrates a reasonable
221basis why the alternative test should not be accepted under this
222section. All other applicable requirements of this subsection
223shall apply to the manufacturer.
224     (d)  Each manufacturer shall maintain copies of the reports
225of all tests conducted on all cigarettes offered for sale for a
226period of 3 years and shall make copies of the reports available
227to the division and the Attorney General upon written request.
228Any manufacturer who fails to make copies of the reports
229available within 60 days after receiving a written request shall
230be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each day
231after the 60th day that the manufacturer does not make such
232copies available.
233     (e)  The division may adopt a subsequent American Society
234for Testing and Materials Standard Test Method for Measuring the
235Ignition Strength of Cigarettes upon a finding that such
236subsequent method does not result in a change in the percentage
237of full-length burns exhibited by any tested cigarette when
238compared to the percentage of full-length burns the same
239cigarette would exhibit when tested in accordance with American
240Society for Testing and Materials Standard E2187-04 and the
241performance standard in subparagraph (a)3.
242     (f)  The division shall review the effectiveness of this
243subsection and report every 3 years to the President of the
244Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives the
245division's findings and, if appropriate, recommendations for
246legislation to improve the effectiveness of this subsection. The
247report and legislative recommendations shall be submitted no
248later than June 13 following the conclusion of each 3-year
249period.
250     (g)  The requirements of paragraph (a) shall not prohibit:
251     1.  Wholesale or retail dealers from selling their existing
252inventory of cigarettes on or after the effective date of this
253section if the wholesale or retailer dealer can establish that
254state tax stamps were affixed to the cigarettes prior to the
255effective date and the wholesale or retailer dealer can
256establish that the inventory was purchased prior to the
257effective date in comparable quantity to the inventory purchased
258during the same period of the prior year; or
259     2.  The sale of cigarettes solely for the purpose of
260consumer testing. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term
261"consumer testing" means an assessment of cigarettes that is
262conducted by or is under the control and direction of a
263manufacturer for the purpose of evaluating consumer acceptance
264of such cigarettes and that uses only the quantity of cigarettes
265that is reasonably necessary for such assessment.
266     (h)  It is the intent of the Legislature by this section to
267promote uniformity among the states in the regulation of reduced
268cigarette ignition propensity. As a result, the resolution of
269issues regarding the interpretation and implementation of this
270section should be made in a manner consistent with the New York
271Fire Safety Standards for Cigarettes, New York Executive Law,
272Section 156-C, as amended, and Part 429 of Title 19 New York
273Codes, Rules, and Regulations, as amended, and the
274interpretation and implementation thereof, as they exist on
275March 1, 2008.
276     (5)  CERTIFICATION AND PRODUCT CHANGE.--
277     (a)  Each manufacturer shall submit to the division a
278written certification attesting that:
279     1.  Each cigarette listed in the certification has been
280tested in accordance with subsection (4).
281     2.  Each cigarette listed in the certification meets the
282performance standard set forth in subsection (4).
283     (b)  Each cigarette listed in the certification shall be
284described with the following information:
285     1.  Brand, or trade name, on the package.
286     2.  Style, such as light or ultra light.
287     3.  Length in millimeters.
288     4.  Circumference in millimeters.
289     5.  Flavor, such as menthol or chocolate, if applicable.
290     6.  Filter or nonfilter.
291     7.  Package description, such as soft pack or box.
292     8.  Marking pursuant to subsection (6).
293     9.  The name, address, and telephone number of the testing
294laboratory, if different from the name, address, and telephone
295number of the manufacturer that conducted the test.
296     10.  The date the testing occurred.
297     (c)  Each certification shall be made available to the
298Attorney General for purposes consistent with this section and
299to the Department of Revenue for the purposes of ensuring
300compliance with this subsection.
301     (d)  Each cigarette certified under this subsection shall
302be recertified every 3 years.
303     (e)  At the time it submits a written certification under
304this subsection, a manufacturer shall pay to the division a fee
305of $250 for each brand of cigarettes listed in the
306certification. The fee paid shall apply to all cigarettes within
307the brand certified and to any new cigarette certified within
308the brand during the 3-year certification period.
309     (f)  If a manufacturer has certified a cigarette pursuant
310to this subsection and thereafter makes any change to such
311cigarette that is likely to alter its compliance with the
312reduced cigarette ignition propensity standards required by this
313section, that cigarette shall not be sold or offered for sale in
314this state until the manufacturer retests the cigarette in
315accordance with the testing standards set forth in subsection
316(4) and maintains records of that retesting as required by
317subsection (4). Any altered cigarette that does not meet the
318performance standard set forth in subsection (4) may not be sold
319in this state.
320     (6)  MARKING OF CIGARETTE PACKAGING.--
321     (a)  Cigarettes that are certified by a manufacturer in
322accordance with subsection (5) shall be marked to indicate
323compliance with the requirements of subsection (4). The marking
324shall be in 8-point type or larger and consist of:
325     1.  Modification of the universal product code to include a
326visible mark printed at or around the area of the universal
327product code. The mark may consist of alphanumeric or symbolic
328characters permanently stamped, engraved, embossed, or printed
329in conjunction with the universal product code;
330     2.  Any visible combination of alphanumeric or symbolic
331characters permanently stamped, engraved, or embossed upon the
332cigarette package or cellophane wrap; or
333     3.  Printed, stamped, engraved, or embossed text that
334indicates that the cigarettes meet the standards of this
335section.
336     (b)  A manufacturer shall use only one marking and shall
337apply this marking uniformly for all brands and all packages,
338including, but not limited to, packs, cartons, and cases,
339marketed by that manufacturer.
340     (c)  The division shall be notified as to the marking that
341is selected.
342     (d)  Prior to the certification of any cigarette, a
343manufacturer shall present its proposed marking to the division
344for approval. Upon receipt of the request, the division shall
345approve or disapprove the marking offered, except that the
346division shall approve:
347     1.  Any marking in use and approved for sale in the State
348of New York pursuant to the New York Fire Safety Standards for
349Cigarettes; or
350     2.  The letters "FSC," which signify "Fire Standards
351Compliant," appearing in 8-point type or larger and permanently
352printed, stamped, engraved, or embossed on the package at or
353near the universal product code.
354
355Proposed markings shall be deemed approved if the division fails
356to act within 10 business days after receiving a request for
357approval.
358     (e)  No manufacturer shall modify its approved marking
359unless the modification has been approved by the division in
360accordance with this subsection.
361     (f)  Manufacturers certifying cigarettes in accordance with
362subsection (5) shall provide a copy of the certifications to all
363wholesale dealers and agents to which they sell cigarettes and
364shall also provide sufficient copies of an illustration of the
365package marking used by the manufacturer pursuant to this
366subsection for each retail dealer to which the wholesale dealers
367or agents sell cigarettes. Wholesale dealers and agents shall
368provide a copy of these package markings received from
369manufacturers to all retail dealers to which they sell
370cigarettes. Wholesale dealers, agents, and retail dealers shall
371permit the division, the Department of Revenue, the Attorney
372General, and their employees to inspect markings of cigarette
373packaging marked in accordance with this subsection.
374     (7)  PENALTIES.--
375     (a)  A manufacturer, wholesale dealer, agent, or any other
376person or entity that knowingly sells or offers to sell
377cigarettes, other than through retail sale, in violation of
378subsection (4) shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
379$100 for each pack of such cigarettes sold or offered for sale.
380In no case shall the penalty against any such person or entity
381exceed $100,000 during any 30-day period.
382     (b)  A retail dealer who knowingly sells or offers to sell
383cigarettes in violation of subsection (4) shall be subject to a
384civil penalty not to exceed $100 for each pack of such
385cigarettes sold or offered for sale. In no case shall the
386penalty against any retail dealer exceed $25,000 during any 30-
387day period.
388     (c)  In addition to any penalty prescribed by law, any
389corporation, partnership, sole proprietor, limited partnership,
390or association engaged in the manufacture of cigarettes that
391knowingly makes a false certification pursuant to subsection (5)
392shall be subject to a civil penalty of at least $75,000 and not
393to exceed $250,000 for each such false certification.
394     (d)  Any person violating any other provision of this
395section shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000
396for a first offense and not to exceed $5,000 for each subsequent
397offense.
398     (e)  Any cigarettes that have been sold or offered for sale
399that do not comply with the performance standard required by
400subsection (4) shall be subject to forfeiture following a
401hearing pursuant to chapter 120 at which the true holder of the
402trademark rights in the cigarette brand may appear and present
403evidence. Cigarettes forfeited pursuant to this paragraph shall
404be destroyed; however, prior to destruction of any such
405cigarette, the true holder of the trademark rights in the
406cigarette brand shall be permitted to inspect the cigarette.
407     (f)  In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the
408division or the Attorney General may file an action in circuit
409court for a violation of this section, including petitioning for
410injunctive relief or to recover any costs or damages suffered by
411the state because of a violation of this section, including
412enforcement costs relating to the specific violation and
413attorney's fees. Each violation of this section or of rules
414adopted under this section constitutes a separate civil
415violation for which the division or the Attorney General may
416obtain relief.
417     (g)  Whenever any law enforcement personnel or duly
418authorized representative of the division discovers any
419cigarettes that have not been marked in the manner required by
420subsection (6), such personnel or representative is authorized
421and empowered to seize and take possession of such cigarettes.
422Such cigarettes shall be turned over to the Department of
423Revenue and shall be forfeited to the state. Cigarettes seized
424pursuant to this paragraph shall be destroyed; however, prior to
425the destruction of any such cigarette, the true holder of the
426trademark rights in the cigarette brand shall be permitted to
427inspect the cigarette.
428     (8)  IMPLEMENTATION.--
429     (a)  The division may adopt rules to implement the
430provisions of this section.
431     (b)  The division, in the regular course of conducting
432inspections of wholesale dealers, agents, and retail dealers as
433authorized pursuant to chapter 210, may inspect such cigarettes
434to determine if the cigarettes are marked as required by
435subsection (6).
436     (9)  INSPECTION.--To enforce the provisions of this
437section, the Attorney General, the Department of Revenue, the
438division, and their duly authorized representatives and other
439law enforcement personnel are authorized to examine the books,
440papers, invoices, and other records of any person in possession,
441control, or occupancy of any premises where cigarettes are
442placed, stored, sold, or offered for sale, as well as the stock
443of cigarettes on the premises. Every person in the possession,
444control, or occupancy of any premises where cigarettes are
445placed, sold, or offered for sale is directed and required to
446give the Attorney General, the Department of Revenue, the
447division, and their duly authorized representatives and other
448law enforcement personnel the means, facilities, and opportunity
449for the examinations authorized by this subsection.
450     (10)  SALE OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA.--Nothing in this section
451shall be construed to prohibit any person or entity from
452manufacturing or selling cigarettes that do not meet the
453requirements of subsection (4) if the cigarettes are or will be
454stamped for sale in another state or are packaged for sale
455outside the United States and that person or entity has taken
456reasonable steps to ensure that such cigarettes will not be sold
457or offered for sale to persons located in this state.
458     (11)  PREEMPTION.--This section shall be repealed if a
459federal reduced cigarette ignition propensity standard that
460preempts this section is adopted and becomes effective.
461     Section 2.  Effective upon this act becoming a law, and
462notwithstanding any other provision of law, local government
463units of this state may neither enact nor enforce any ordinance
464or other local law or regulation conflicting with, or preempted
465by, any provision of this act or any policy of this state
466expressed by this act, whether that policy be expressed by
467inclusion of a provision in this act or by exclusion of that
468subject from this act.
469     Section 3.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in this
470act, this act shall take effect January 1, 2010.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.