69-2709.

Revocation or suspension of stamping agent license; civil penalty; termination of license; grounds; violations; penalties; effect of termination; eligibility for reinstatement; directory license; termination; procedure; contraband; actions to enjoin; criminal penalty; remedies cumulative.

(1) In addition to or in lieu of any other civil or criminal remedy provided by law, upon a determination that a stamping agent has violated subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or any rule or regulation adopted and promulgated pursuant thereto, the Tax Commissioner may revoke or suspend the license of any stamping agent in the manner provided by section 77-2615.01. For each violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or the rules and regulations, the Tax Commissioner may also impose a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the greater of five hundred percent of the retail value of the cigarettes or five thousand dollars upon a determination of violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or any rules or regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant thereto. Such penalty shall be imposed in the manner provided by section 77-2615.01.

(2) The license of a stamping agent shall be subject to termination if the stamping agent:

(a) Fails to provide a report required under section 69-2708, 69-2710.01, or 77-2604.01;

(b) Files an incomplete or inaccurate report required under section 69-2708, 69-2710.01, or 77-2604.01 or files an inaccurate certification required under section 69-2708, subsection (2) of section 77-2603, or section 69-2710.01;

(c) Fails to pay taxes as provided in section 77-2602 or deposit escrow as provided in section 69-2708.01;

(d) Sells cigarettes in or into the state in a package that bears a stamp required under section 77-2603 or 77-2603.01 that is not the correct stamp and provides for a lower level of tax than the correct stamp;

(e) Sells unstamped cigarettes in, into, or from the state or possesses unstamped cigarettes in the state except as provided in section 77-2607;

(f) Purchases, sells in or into the state, or affixes a stamp to a package containing cigarettes of a manufacturer or brand family that is not at the time listed in the directory, or possesses such cigarettes more than ten days after receiving notice that the manufacturer or brand family is not in the directory, unless such stamping agent possesses a directory license under section 77-2603 or unless expressly permitted under sections 69-2701 to 69-2711 or sections 77-2601 to 77-2622; or

(g) Purchases or sells cigarettes in violation of subsection (5) of this section or section 69-2710.02.

(3) In the case of a violation under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section that was not knowing or intentional, the stamping agent shall be entitled to cure the violation within ten days after receipt of notice of such violation. The license of a stamping agent that fully cures the violation during that period shall not be terminated on account of that violation.

(4) In the case of a knowing or intentional violation under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section, or of any violation described in subdivision (2)(e) or (f) of this section, the stamping agent shall for a first violation be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars and be guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor and for a second or subsequent violation be subject to a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars per violation and be guilty of a Class II misdemeanor. In the case of violations described in subdivision (2)(d), (e), or (f) of this section, each sale constitutes a separate offense.

(5) The Tax Commissioner shall promptly remove any stamping agent whose license is terminated from the list required by subsection (4) of section 77-2603 and shall publish a notice of the termination on the Tax Commissioner's website and send notice of the termination to all stamping agents and to all persons listed in the directory. Beginning ten days following the publication and sending of such notice, no person may sell cigarettes to, or purchase cigarettes from, the stamping agent whose license has been terminated.

(6) If a stamping agent whose license has been terminated is a tobacco product manufacturer, the tobacco product manufacturer and its brand families shall be removed from the directory.

(7) A stamping agent whose license is terminated shall be eligible for reinstatement:

(a) Ninety days following the termination, in the case of a first failure under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section that was not knowing or intentional;

(b) One hundred eighty days following the termination, in the case of a second failure under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section that was not knowing or intentional;

(c) One year following the termination, in the case of a third or subsequent failure under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section that was not knowing or intentional;

(d) One year following the termination, in the case of a first knowing or intentional failure under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section or a first violation described in subdivision (2)(e), (f), or (g) of this section; and

(e) Three years following the termination, in the case of a second or subsequent knowing or intentional failure under subdivision (2)(a), (b), (c), or (d) of this section or a second or subsequent violation described in subdivision (2)(e), (f), or (g) of this section.

(8) Any cigarettes that have been sold, offered for sale, or possessed for sale in this state in violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706 shall be deemed contraband under section 77-2620 and such cigarettes shall be subject to seizure and forfeiture as provided in section 77-2620, except that all such cigarettes so seized and forfeited shall be destroyed and not resold. The stamping agent shall notify its customers for a brand family with regard to any notice of removal of a tobacco product manufacturer or a brand family from the directory and give its customers a seven-day period for the return of cigarettes that become contraband.

(9) The Attorney General, on behalf of the Tax Commissioner, may seek an injunction to restrain a threatened or actual violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or section 69-2708 by a stamping agent and to compel the stamping agent to comply with subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or section 69-2708. In any action brought pursuant to this section, the state shall be entitled to recover the costs of investigation, costs of the action, and reasonable attorney's fees. This subsection shall not apply to a stamping agent purchasing cigarettes which are not in violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706 or section 69-2708.

(10) It is unlawful for a person to (a) sell or distribute cigarettes for sale in this state or (b) acquire, hold, own, possess, transport, import, or cause to be imported cigarettes that the person knows or should know are intended for distribution or sale in the state in violation of subsection (4) of section 69-2706. A violation of this subsection is a Class III misdemeanor.

(11) If a court determines that a person has violated any portion of sections 69-2704 to 69-2711, the court shall order the payment of any profits, gains, gross receipts, or other benefits from the violation to be remitted to the State Treasurer for distribution in accordance with Article VII, section 5, of the Constitution of Nebraska. Unless otherwise expressly provided, the remedies or penalties provided by sections 69-2704 to 69-2711 are cumulative to each other and to the remedies or penalties available under all applicable laws of this state.

(12) It is unlawful for any manufacturer, importer, or stamping agent to knowingly submit any false information required pursuant to sections 69-2703 to 69-2711. A violation of this subsection is a Class IV felony. Knowing submission of false information shall also be grounds for removal of a tobacco product manufacturer from the directory.

(13) A tobacco product manufacturer that knowingly or intentionally sells cigarettes in violation of subsection (5) of this section or section 69-2710.01 and its brand families shall be removed from the directory.

(14) A nonparticipating manufacturer whose total nationwide reported sales on which federal excise tax is paid exceed the sum of its nationwide reports under 15 U.S.C. 375 et seq. and any intrastate sales reports under 15 U.S.C. 375 et seq. by more than five percent of its total sales or one million cigarettes, whichever is less, shall be subject to removal from the directory unless it cures or satisfactorily explains the discrepancy within ten days after receipt of notice of the discrepancy from the Attorney General pursuant to section 69-2708.01.

(15) Any person that is not a stamping agent or tobacco product manufacturer that fails to file a complete and accurate report required under section 69-2708, 69-2710.01, 77-2604, or 77-2604.01 shall be entitled to cure the failure within ten days after receipt of notice of the discrepancy from the Attorney General pursuant to section 69-2708.01. If the person fails to fully cure the failure within such period, it shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars per violation and shall be ineligible to hold any license of the state regarding cigarette sales until the date specified by subsection (7) of this section for violations of subdivision (2)(a) of this section.

(16) A directory license shall be subject to termination if the licensee acts inconsistently with its certification under subsection (2) of section 77-2603 or violates sections 69-2701 to 69-2711.

(17) Any person that knowingly or intentionally purchases or sells cigarettes in violation of subsection (5) of this section or section 69-2710.01 or that knowingly or intentionally sells cigarettes in or into the state in a package that bears a stamp required under section 77-2603 or 77-2603.01 that is not the correct stamp and provides for a lower level of tax than the correct stamp shall for a first violation be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars and be guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor and for a second or subsequent violation be subject to a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars per violation and be guilty of a Class II misdemeanor. Each sale constitutes a separate violation.