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