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92nd General Assembly

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Public Act 92-0737

SB2017 Enrolled                                LRB9215600SMdv

    AN ACT concerning tobacco.

    Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section  1.  Short  Title.  This  Act may be cited as the
Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act.

    Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
    "Cigarette" means that term as defined in Section  10  of
the Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act, which includes
roll-your-own tobacco.
    "Distributor"  has  the  same  meaning  as  that  term is
defined in Section 1 of the Cigarette Tax Act, Section  1  of
the  Cigarette  Use  Tax  Act, or Section 10-5 of the Tobacco
Products Tax Act of 1995, as appropriate.
    "Participating manufacturer" has the same meaning as that
term is defined in subdivision (a)(1) of Section  15  of  the
Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act.
    "Qualified escrow fund" has the same meaning as that term
is  defined  in  subdivision  (a)(2)(A)  of Section 15 of the
Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act.
    "Stamps or imprints" means  (i)  revenue  tax  stamps  or
imprints  as  provided  for in Section 3 of the Cigarette Tax
Act or (ii) stamps or imprints evidencing the payment of  use
tax  as  provided  for  in Section 3 of the Cigarette Use Tax
Act, as appropriate.
    "Tobacco product manufacturer" has the  same  meaning  as
that  term  is  defined  in Section 10 of the Tobacco Product
Manufacturers' Escrow Act.

    Section  15.  Distributor's  determination   of   tobacco
product manufacturer compliance.
    (a)  A  distributor of cigarettes under the Cigarette Tax
Act or the Cigarette Use Tax Act,  as  appropriate,  may  not
affix or cause to be affixed stamps or imprints to individual
packages of cigarettes delivered or caused to be delivered by
the   distributor  in  this  State  if  the  tobacco  product
manufacturer of those cigarettes has:
         (1)  failed to become a participating  manufacturer,
    as  defined  in  subdivision  (a)(1) of Section 15 of the
    Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act; or
         (2)  failed to create a qualified  escrow  fund  for
    any   cigarettes  manufactured  by  the  tobacco  product
    manufacturer and sold in this State or  otherwise  failed
    to  bring  itself into compliance with subdivision (a)(2)
    of Section  15  of  the  Tobacco  Product  Manufacturers'
    Escrow Act.
    (b)  The  Department  of  Revenue may revoke, suspend, or
cancel the license of a distributor of roll-your-own  tobacco
under  the Tobacco Products Tax Act of 1995 that is delivered
or caused to be delivered by the distributor in this State if
the tobacco product manufacturer of the roll-your-own tobacco
has:
         (1)  failed to become a participating  manufacturer,
    as  defined  in  subdivision  (a)(1) of Section 15 of the
    Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act; or
         (2)  failed to create a qualified  escrow  fund  for
    any  roll-your-own  tobacco  manufactured  by the tobacco
    product manufacturer and sold in this State or  otherwise
    failed  to  bring itself into compliance with subdivision
    (a)(2)   of   Section   15   of   the   Tobacco   Product
    Manufacturers' Escrow Act.

    Section 20. Penalties. A distributor  who  violates  this
Act is subject to the same penalties as provided in Section 6
of  the Cigarette Tax Act, Section 6 of the Cigarette Use Tax
Act, or Section 10-25 of the  Tobacco  Products  Tax  Act  of
1995, as appropriate.

    Section  25.  Rules.  The  Illinois  Attorney General, in
consultation with the Illinois Department of  Revenue,  shall
adopt  rules  as necessary to effectuate compliance with this
Act.

    Section  905.   The  Cigarette  Tax  Act  is  amended  by
changing Sections 3 and 6 as follows:

    (35 ILCS 130/3) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.3)
    Sec.  3.  Affixing  tax  stamp;  remitting  tax  to   the
Department.   Payment  of  the  taxes imposed by Section 2 of
this Act shall (except as hereinafter provided) be  evidenced
by  revenue  tax  stamps  affixed to each original package of
cigarettes. Each distributor of cigarettes, before delivering
or causing to be delivered any original package of cigarettes
in this State to a purchaser, shall  firmly  affix  a  proper
stamp  or  stamps  to  each  such  package,  or  (in  case of
manufacturers of cigarettes in original  packages  which  are
contained  inside a sealed transparent wrapper) shall imprint
the required language on the original package  of  cigarettes
beneath such outside wrapper, as hereinafter provided.
    No  stamp or imprint may be affixed to, or made upon, any
package of cigarettes unless that package complies  with  all
requirements   of   the   federal   Cigarette   Labeling  and
Advertising Act,  15  U.S.C.  1331  and  following,  for  the
placement  of labels, warnings, or any other information upon
a package of  cigarettes  that  is  sold  within  the  United
States.   Under  the  authority  of Section 6, the Department
shall  revoke  the  license  of  any  distributor   that   is
determined  to have violated this paragraph. A person may not
affix a stamp on a package of cigarettes,  cigarette  papers,
wrappers, or tubes if that individual package has been marked
for  export  outside the United States with a label or notice
in compliance with Section 290.185 of Title 27 of the Code of
Federal Regulations.  It is not a defense to a proceeding for
violation of this paragraph that the label or notice has been
removed, mutilated, obliterated, or altered in any manner.
    The  Department,  or  any  person   authorized   by   the
Department,  shall  sell  such stamps only to persons holding
valid licenses as distributors under this Act. The Department
may refuse to sell stamps to any person who does  not  comply
with the provisions of this Act.
    Prior  to  December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow a
distributor 21 days in which to make  final  payment  of  the
amount   to   be  paid  for  such  stamps,  by  allowing  the
distributor to make payment for the stamps  at  the  time  of
purchasing  them  with a draft which shall be in such form as
the Department prescribes, and which shall be payable  within
21  days thereafter: Provided that such distributor has filed
with  the  Department,  and  has  received  the  Department's
approval of, a  bond,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  bond
required  under  Section  4  of  this  Act,  payable  to  the
Department  in  an  amount equal to 80% of such distributor's
average monthly tax liability to the  Department  under  this
Act during the preceding calendar year or $500,000, whichever
is  less. The Bond shall be joint and several and shall be in
the form of a  surety  company  bond  in  such  form  as  the
Department  prescribes,  or  it  may be in the form of a bank
certificate of deposit or bank letter  of  credit.  The  bond
shall be conditioned upon the distributor's payment of amount
of  any  21-day  draft which the Department accepts from that
distributor for the delivery of stamps  to  that  distributor
under  this  Act.  The  distributor's failure to pay any such
draft,  when  due,   shall   also   make   such   distributor
automatically liable to the Department for a penalty equal to
25% of the amount of such draft.
    On and after December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow
a  distributor  30 days in which to make final payment of the
amount  to  be  paid  for  such  stamps,  by   allowing   the
distributor  to  make  payment  for the stamps at the time of
purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such  form  as
the  Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within
30 days thereafter, and beginning  on  January  1,  2003  and
thereafter, the draft shall be payable by means of electronic
funds  transfer:   Provided  that  such distributor has filed
with  the  Department,  and  has  received  the  Department's
approval of, a  bond,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  bond
required  under  Section  4  of  this  Act,  payable  to  the
Department  in  an amount equal to 150% of such distributor's
average monthly tax liability to the  Department  under  this
Act during the preceding calendar year or $750,000, whichever
is less, except that as to bonds filed on or after January 1,
1987,  such  additional  bond  shall be in an amount equal to
100% of such  distributor's  average  monthly  tax  liability
under   this  Act  during  the  preceding  calendar  year  or
$750,000, whichever is less.  The bond  shall  be  joint  and
several  and shall be in the form of a surety company bond in
such form as the Department prescribes, or it may be  in  the
form  of  a  bank  certificate  of  deposit or bank letter of
credit. The bond shall be conditioned upon the  distributor's
payment   of  the  amount  of  any  30-day  draft  which  the
Department accepts from that distributor for the delivery  of
stamps to that distributor under this Act.  The distributor's
failure to pay any such draft, when due, shall also make such
distributor  automatically  liable  to  the  Department for a
penalty equal to 25% of the amount of such draft.
    Every  prior  continuous  compliance  taxpayer  shall  be
exempt from all requirements under  this  Section  concerning
the furnishing of such bond, as defined in this Section, as a
condition  precedent to his being authorized to engage in the
business licensed  under  this  Act.   This  exemption  shall
continue  for each such taxpayer until such time as he may be
determined by the Department to be delinquent in  the  filing
of  any  returns,  or is determined by the Department (either
through the Department's issuance of a final assessment which
has become final under the Act, or by the  taxpayer's  filing
of  a  return which admits tax to be due that is not paid) to
be delinquent or deficient in the paying  of  any  tax  under
this Act, at which time that taxpayer shall become subject to
the  bond requirements of this Section and, as a condition of
being allowed to continue to engage in the business  licensed
under  this  Act,  shall  be  required to furnish bond to the
Department in such form as provided in  this  Section.   Such
taxpayer  shall  furnish  such  bond for a period of 2 years,
after which, if the taxpayer has not been delinquent  in  the
filing  of  any  returns,  or  delinquent or deficient in the
paying  of  any  tax  under  this  Act,  the  Department  may
reinstate such  person  as  a  prior  continuance  compliance
taxpayer.   Any  taxpayer  who  fails  to  pay an admitted or
established liability under this Act may also be required  to
post  bond  or  other acceptable security with the Department
guaranteeing the payment  of  such  admitted  or  established
liability.
    Any  person  aggrieved  by any decision of the Department
under this Section may,  within  the  time  allowed  by  law,
protest and request a hearing, whereupon the Department shall
give  notice  and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the
provisions  of  this   Act   and   then   issue   its   final
administrative decision in the matter to such person.  In the
absence  of  such  a protest filed within the time allowed by
law, the Department's decision shall become final without any
further determination being made or notice given.
    The Department  shall  discharge  any  surety  and  shall
release  and return any bond or security deposited, assigned,
pledged, or otherwise provided to it by a taxpayer under this
Section within 30 days after:
    (1)  Such taxpayer becomes a prior continuous  compliance
taxpayer; or
    (2)  Such  taxpayer  has  ceased  to  collect receipts on
which he is required to remit  tax  to  the  Department,  has
filed  a  final tax return, and has paid to the Department an
amount sufficient to discharge his remaining tax liability as
determined by the Department under this Act.  The  Department
shall   make   a   final   determination  of  the  taxpayer's
outstanding tax liability as expeditiously as possible  after
his  final  tax  return  has  been  filed.  If the Department
cannot make such final determination  within  45  days  after
receiving  the  final tax return, within such period it shall
so notify the taxpayer, stating its reasons therefor.
    The  Department  may  authorize  distributors  to   affix
revenue  tax  stamps  by  imprinting  tax  meter  stamps upon
original packages of cigarettes. The Department  shall  adopt
rules  and regulations relating to the imprinting of such tax
meter stamps as will result in payment of the proper taxes as
herein imposed. No distributor may affix revenue  tax  stamps
to  original  packages  of cigarettes by imprinting tax meter
stamps thereon unless such  distributor  has  first  obtained
permission  from  the  Department  to  employ  this method of
affixation. The Department shall  regulate  the  use  of  tax
meters  and may, to assure the proper collection of the taxes
imposed  by  this  Act,  revoke  or  suspend  the  privilege,
theretofore granted by the Department to any distributor,  to
imprint   tax   meter   stamps   upon  original  packages  of
cigarettes.
    Illinois  cigarette   manufacturers   who   place   their
cigarettes  in original packages which are contained inside a
sealed  transparent   wrapper,   and   similar   out-of-State
cigarette manufacturers who elect to qualify and are accepted
by  the  Department  as distributors under Section 4b of this
Act, shall pay the taxes imposed by this Act by remitting the
amount thereof to the Department by the 5th day of each month
covering  cigarettes  shipped  or  otherwise   delivered   in
Illinois  to  purchasers during the preceding calendar month.
Such manufacturers of cigarettes in original  packages  which
are  contained  inside  a  sealed transparent wrapper, before
delivering such cigarettes or causing such cigarettes  to  be
delivered  in  this State to purchasers, shall evidence their
obligation to remit  the  taxes  due  with  respect  to  such
cigarettes  by  imprinting  language  to be prescribed by the
Department  on  each  original  package  of  such  cigarettes
underneath the sealed transparent  outside  wrapper  of  such
original package, in such place thereon and in such manner as
the  Department  may designate. Such imprinted language shall
acknowledge the manufacturer's payment of  or  liability  for
the  tax imposed by this Act with respect to the distribution
of such cigarettes.
    A distributor shall not affix, or cause  to  be  affixed,
any  stamp or imprint to a package of cigarettes, as provided
for in this Section, if the tobacco product manufacturer,  as
defined  in  Section 10 of the Tobacco Product Manufacturers'
Escrow Act, that made or sold the cigarettes  has  failed  to
become   a   participating   manufacturer,   as   defined  in
subdivision (a)(1) of  Section  15  of  the  Tobacco  Product
Manufacturers'   Escrow  Act,  or  has  failed  to  create  a
qualified escrow fund for any cigarettes manufactured by  the
tobacco  product  manufacturer  and  sold  in  this  State or
otherwise  failed  to  bring  itself  into  compliance   with
subdivision  (a)(2)  of  Section  15  of  the Tobacco Product
Manufacturers' Escrow Act.
(Source: P.A. 91-246, eff. 7-22-99; 92-322, eff. 1-1-02.)

    (35 ILCS 130/6) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.6)
    Sec.  6.  Revocation,  cancellation,  or  suspension   of
license.  The  Department  may,  after  notice and hearing as
provided for by this  Act,  revoke,  cancel  or  suspend  the
license of any distributor for the violation of any provision
of  this  Act, or for noncompliance with any provision herein
contained, or for any noncompliance with any lawful  rule  or
regulation  promulgated  by the Department under Section 8 of
this Act,  or  because  the  licensee  is  determined  to  be
ineligible for a distributor's license for any one or more of
the  reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act.  However,
no such license shall be  revoked,  cancelled  or  suspended,
except  after  a hearing by the Department with notice to the
distributor, as aforesaid, and affording such  distributor  a
reasonable   opportunity   to  appear  and  defend,  and  any
distributor aggrieved by any decision of the Department  with
respect  thereto may have the determination of the Department
judicially reviewed, as herein provided.
    The Department may revoke, cancel, or suspend the license
of any distributor for a violation  of  the  Tobacco  Product
Manufacturers'  Escrow Enforcement Act as provided in Section
20 of that Act.
    Any  distributor  aggrieved  by  any  decision   of   the
Department  under  this  Section  may,  within  20 days after
notice of the decision, protest and request a hearing.   Upon
receiving  a request for a hearing, the Department shall give
notice in writing to the distributor requesting  the  hearing
that  contains  a  statement of the charges preferred against
the distributor and that states the time and place fixed  for
the  hearing.   The  Department  shall  hold  the  hearing in
conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its
final  administrative  decision  in   the   matter   to   the
distributor.   In  the absence of a protest and request for a
hearing within  20  days,  the  Department's  decision  shall
become  final without any further determination being made or
notice given.
    No license so revoked, as aforesaid, shall be reissued to
any such distributor within a period of 6  months  after  the
date  of the final determination of such revocation.  No such
license shall be reissued at all so long as  the  person  who
would   receive  the  license  is  ineligible  to  receive  a
distributor's license under this Act for any one or  more  of
the reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act.
    The  Department upon complaint filed in the circuit court
may by injunction restrain any person who fails, or  refuses,
to  comply with any of the provisions of this Act from acting
as a distributor of cigarettes in this State.
(Source: P.A. 91-901, eff. 1-1-01.)

    Section 910.  The Cigarette Use Tax  Act  is  amended  by
changing Sections 3 and 6 as follows:

    (35 ILCS 135/3) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.33)
    Sec.  3.   Stamp payment. The tax hereby imposed shall be
collected by a distributor maintaining a place of business in
this State or a  distributor  authorized  by  the  Department
pursuant  to  Section  7  hereof  to collect the tax, and the
amount of the  tax  shall  be  added  to  the  price  of  the
cigarettes  sold  by  such distributor. Collection of the tax
shall be evidenced by a  stamp  or  stamps  affixed  to  each
original package of cigarettes or by an authorized substitute
for  such  stamp  imprinted  on each original package of such
cigarettes underneath the sealed transparent outside  wrapper
of  such  original  package,  except as hereinafter provided.
Each distributor who is required or authorized to collect the
tax herein  imposed,  before  delivering  or  causing  to  be
delivered  any  original packages of cigarettes in this State
to any purchaser, shall firmly affix a proper stamp or stamps
to each such package, or (in the  case  of  manufacturers  of
cigarettes  in original packages which are contained inside a
sealed  transparent  wrapper)  shall  imprint  the   required
language  on  the original package of cigarettes beneath such
outside wrapper as hereinafter provided. Such stamp or stamps
need not be affixed to the original package of any cigarettes
with respect to which the distributor is required to affix  a
like  stamp  or  stamps  by  virtue of the Cigarette Tax Act,
however, and no tax imprint need  be  placed  underneath  the
sealed   transparent   wrapper  of  an  original  package  of
cigarettes with respect to which the distributor is  required
or  authorized  to employ a like tax imprint by virtue of the
Cigarette Tax Act.
    No stamp or imprint may be affixed to, or made upon,  any
package  of  cigarettes unless that package complies with all
requirements  of   the   federal   Cigarette   Labeling   and
Advertising  Act,  15  U.S.C.  1331  and  following,  for the
placement of labels, warnings, or any other information  upon
a  package  of  cigarettes  that  is  sold  within the United
States.  Under the authority of  Section  6,  the  Department
shall   revoke   the  license  of  any  distributor  that  is
determined to have violated this paragraph.  A person may not
affix a stamp on a package of cigarettes,  cigarette  papers,
wrappers, or tubes if that individual package has been marked
for  export  outside the United States with a label or notice
in compliance with Section 290.185 of Title 27 of the Code of
Federal Regulations.  It is not a defense to a proceeding for
violation of this paragraph that the label or notice has been
removed, mutilated, obliterated, or altered in any manner.
    Stamps, when required hereunder, shall be purchased  from
the  Department,  or any person authorized by the Department,
by distributors. The Department may refuse to sell stamps  to
any  person  who  does not comply with the provisions of this
Act.
    Prior to December 1, 1985, the Department shall  allow  a
distributor  21  days  in  which to make final payment of the
amount  to  be  paid  for  such  stamps,  by   allowing   the
distributor  to  make  payment  for the stamps at the time of
purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such  form  as
the  Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within
21 days thereafter: Provided that such distributor has  filed
with  the  Department,  and  has  received  the  Department's
approval  of,  a  bond,  which  is  in  addition  to the bond
required  under  Section  4  of  this  Act,  payable  to  the
Department in an amount equal to 80%  of  such  distributor's
average  monthly  tax  liability to the Department under this
Act during the preceding calendar year or $500,000, whichever
is less. The bond shall be joint and several and shall be  in
the  form  of  a  surety  company  bond  in  such form as the
Department prescribes, or it may be in the  form  of  a  bank
certificate  of  deposit  or  bank letter of credit. The bond
shall be conditioned upon the distributor's  payment  of  the
amount  of any 21-day draft which the Department accepts from
that  distributor  for  the  delivery  of  stamps   to   that
distributor  under this Act. The distributor's failure to pay
any such draft, when due, shall also  make  such  distributor
automatically liable to the Department for a penalty equal to
25% of the amount of such draft.
    On and after December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow
a  distributor  30 days in which to make final payment of the
amount  to  be  paid  for  such  stamps,  by   allowing   the
distributor  to  make  payment  for the stamps at the time of
purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such  form  as
the  Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within
30 days thereafter, and beginning  on  January  1,  2003  and
thereafter, the draft shall be payable by means of electronic
funds  transfer:   Provided  that  such distributor has filed
with  the  Department,  and  has  received  the  Department's
approval of, a  bond,  which  is  in  addition  to  the  bond
required  under  Section  4  of  this  Act,  payable  to  the
Department  in  an amount equal to 150% of such distributor's
average monthly tax liability to the  Department  under  this
Act during the preceding calendar year or $750,000, whichever
is less, except that as to bonds filed on or after January 1,
1987,  such  additional  bond  shall be in an amount equal to
100% of such  distributor's  average  monthly  tax  liability
under   this  Act  during  the  preceding  calendar  year  or
$750,000, whichever is less.  The bond  shall  be  joint  and
several  and shall be in the form of a surety company bond in
such form as the Department prescribes, or it may be  in  the
form  of  a  bank  certificate  of  deposit or bank letter of
credit. The bond shall be conditioned upon the  distributor's
payment   of  the  amount  of  any  30-day  draft  which  the
Department accepts from that distributor for the delivery  of
stamps to that distributor under this Act.  The distributor's
failure to pay any such draft, when due, shall also make such
distributor  automatically  liable  to  the  Department for a
penalty equal to 25% of the amount of such draft.
    Every  prior  continuous  compliance  taxpayer  shall  be
exempt from all requirements under  this  Section  concerning
the furnishing of such bond, as defined in this Section, as a
condition  precedent to his being authorized to engage in the
business licensed  under  this  Act.   This  exemption  shall
continue  for each such taxpayer until such time as he may be
determined by the Department to be delinquent in  the  filing
of  any  returns,  or is determined by the Department (either
through the Department's issuance of a final assessment which
has become final under the Act, or by the  taxpayer's  filing
of  a  return which admits tax to be due that is not paid) to
be delinquent or deficient in the paying  of  any  tax  under
this Act, at which time that taxpayer shall become subject to
the  bond requirements of this Section and, as a condition of
being allowed to continue to engage in the business  licensed
under  this  Act,  shall  be  required to furnish bond to the
Department in such form as provided in  this  Section.   Such
taxpayer  shall  furnish  such  bond for a period of 2 years,
after which, if the taxpayer has not been delinquent  in  the
filing  of  any  returns,  or  delinquent or deficient in the
paying  of  any  tax  under  this  Act,  the  Department  may
reinstate such  person  as  a  prior  continuance  compliance
taxpayer.   Any  taxpayer  who  fails  to  pay an admitted or
established liability under this Act may also be required  to
post  bond  or  other acceptable security with the Department
guaranteeing the payment  of  such  admitted  or  established
liability.
    Any  person  aggrieved  by any decision of the Department
under this Section may,  within  the  time  allowed  by  law,
protest and request a hearing, whereupon the Department shall
give  notice  and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the
provisions  of  this   Act   and   then   issue   its   final
administrative decision in the matter to such person.  In the
absence  of  such  a protest filed within the time allowed by
law, the Department's decision shall become final without any
further determination being made or notice given.
    The Department  shall  discharge  any  surety  and  shall
release  and return any bond or security deposited, assigned,
pledged, or otherwise provided to it by a taxpayer under this
Section within 30 days after:
         (1)  such  Taxpayer  becomes  a   prior   continuous
    compliance taxpayer; or
         (2)  such taxpayer has ceased to collect receipts on
    which  he is required to remit tax to the Department, has
    filed a final tax return, and has paid to the  Department
    an  amount  sufficient  to  discharge  his  remaining tax
    liability as determined by the Department under this Act.
    The Department shall make a final  determination  of  the
    taxpayer's  outstanding tax liability as expeditiously as
    possible after his final tax return has been  filed.   If
    the  Department  cannot  make  such  final  determination
    within  45  days  after  receiving  the final tax return,
    within such period  it  shall  so  notify  the  taxpayer,
    stating its reasons therefor.
    At the time of purchasing such stamps from the Department
when  purchase  is  required by this Act, or at the time when
the tax which he has collected is remitted by  a  distributor
to  the  Department  without  the purchase of stamps from the
Department when that method of remitting  the  tax  that  has
been  collected  is  required  or authorized by this Act, the
distributor shall be  allowed  a  discount  during  any  year
commencing  July  1  and  ending  the  following  June  30 in
accordance with the schedule set out  hereinbelow,  from  the
amount  to  be paid by him to the Department for such stamps,
or to be paid by him  to  the  Department  on  the  basis  of
monthly  remittances (as the case may be), to cover the cost,
to such distributor, of collecting the tax herein imposed  by
affixing  such  stamps to the original packages of cigarettes
sold  by  such  distributor  or  by  placing   tax   imprints
underneath   the   sealed  transparent  wrapper  of  original
packages of cigarettes sold by such distributor (as the  case
may  be):  (1) Prior to December 1, 1985, a discount equal to
1-2/3% of the amount of the tax up to and including the first
$700,000 paid hereunder by such distributor to the Department
during any such year; 1-1/3% of the next $700,000 of  tax  or
any  part  thereof, paid hereunder by such distributor to the
Department during any such year; 1% of the next  $700,000  of
tax,  or any part thereof, paid hereunder by such distributor
to the Department during any such year; and 2/3 of 1% of  the
amount   of   any  additional  tax  paid  hereunder  by  such
distributor to the Department during any such year or (2)  On
and  after December 1, 1985, a discount equal to 1.75% of the
amount of the tax payable under this Act up to and  including
the  first  $3,000,000  paid hereunder by such distributor to
the Department during any such year and 1.5% of the amount of
any additional tax paid hereunder by such distributor to  the
Department during any such year.
    Two  or  more  distributors  that  use  a common means of
affixing revenue tax stamps or that are owned  or  controlled
by   the   same  interests  shall  be  treated  as  a  single
distributor for the purpose of computing the discount.
    Cigarette manufacturers who are distributors  under  this
Act,  and  who  place  their  cigarettes in original packages
which are contained  inside  a  sealed  transparent  wrapper,
shall be required to remit the tax which they are required to
collect  under  this  Act  to the Department by remitting the
amount thereof to the Department  by  the  5th  day  of  each
month,  covering cigarettes shipped or otherwise delivered to
points  in  Illinois  to  purchasers  during  the   preceding
calendar  month,  but  a  distributor  need  not remit to the
Department the tax so collected by him from purchasers  under
this  Act to the extent to which such distributor is required
to remit the tax imposed by the  Cigarette  Tax  Act  to  the
Department  with  respect  to  the same cigarettes. All taxes
upon cigarettes under this Act are  a  direct  tax  upon  the
retail  consumer  and  shall  conclusively  be presumed to be
precollected for the  purpose  of  convenience  and  facility
only.  Distributors  who  are  manufacturers of cigarettes in
original  packages  which  are  contained  inside  a   sealed
transparent  wrapper,  before  delivering  such cigarettes or
causing such cigarettes to be  delivered  in  this  State  to
purchasers,  shall  evidence  their obligation to collect and
remit  the  tax  due  with  respect  to  such  cigarettes  by
imprinting language to be prescribed  by  the  Department  on
each  original  package  of  such  cigarettes  underneath the
sealed transparent outside wrapper of such original  package,
in  such  place  thereon and in such manner as the Department
may prescribe; provided (as stated  hereinbefore)  that  this
requirement  does not apply when such distributor is required
or authorized by the Cigarette  Tax  Act  to  place  the  tax
imprint  provided  for  in the last paragraph of Section 3 of
that Act underneath the sealed transparent  wrapper  of  such
original package of cigarettes. Such imprinted language shall
acknowledge  the  manufacturer's collection and payment of or
liability for the tax imposed by this  Act  with  respect  to
such cigarettes.
    The  Department  shall adopt the design or designs of the
tax stamps and shall procure the printing of such  stamps  in
such  amounts  and  denominations  as  it  deems necessary to
provide for the affixation of the proper amount of tax stamps
to each original package of cigarettes.
    Where  tax  stamps  are  required,  the  Department   may
authorize   distributors  to  affix  revenue  tax  stamps  by
imprinting  tax  meter  stamps  upon  original  packages   of
cigarettes.  The Department shall adopt rules and regulations
relating to the imprinting of such tax meter stamps  as  will
result  in  payment of the proper taxes as herein imposed. No
distributor may affix revenue tax stamps to original packages
of cigarettes by imprinting meter stamps thereon unless  such
distributor has first obtained permission from the Department
to  employ  this  method  of affixation. The Department shall
regulate the use of tax meters and may, to assure the  proper
collection  of  the  taxes  imposed  by  this  Act, revoke or
suspend the privilege, theretofore granted by the  Department
to any distributor, to imprint tax meter stamps upon original
packages of cigarettes.
    The  tax  hereby  imposed  and  not paid pursuant to this
Section shall be paid  to  the  Department  directly  by  any
person  using  such cigarettes within this State, pursuant to
Section 12 hereof.
    A distributor shall not affix, or cause  to  be  affixed,
any  stamp or imprint to a package of cigarettes, as provided
for in this Section, if the tobacco product manufacturer,  as
defined  in  Section 10 of the Tobacco Product Manufacturers'
Escrow Act, that made or sold the cigarettes  has  failed  to
become   a   participating   manufacturer,   as   defined  in
subdivision (a)(1) of  Section  15  of  the  Tobacco  Product
Manufacturers'   Escrow  Act,  or  has  failed  to  create  a
qualified escrow fund for any cigarettes manufactured by  the
tobacco  product  manufacturer  and  sold  in  this  State or
otherwise  failed  to  bring  itself  into  compliance   with
subdivision  (a)(2)  of  Section  15  of  the Tobacco Product
Manufacturers' Escrow Act.
(Source: P.A. 91-246, eff. 7-22-99; 92-322, eff. 1-1-02.)

    (35 ILCS 135/6) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.36)
    Sec.  6.  Revocation,  cancellation,  or  suspension   of
license.  The  Department  may,  after  notice and hearing as
provided for by this  Act,  revoke,  cancel  or  suspend  the
license of any distributor for the violation of any provision
of  this Act, or for non-compliance with any provision herein
contained, or for any non-compliance with any lawful rule  or
regulation  promulgated by the Department under Section 21 of
this Act,  or  because  the  licensee  is  determined  to  be
ineligible for a distributor's license for any one or more of
the  reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act.  However,
no such license shall  be  revoked,  canceled  or  suspended,
except  after  a hearing by the Department with notice to the
distributor, as aforesaid, and affording such  distributor  a
reasonable   opportunity   to  appear  and  defend,  and  any
distributor aggrieved by any decision of the Department  with
respect  thereto may have the determination of the Department
judicially reviewed, as herein provided.
    The Department may revoke, cancel, or suspend the license
of any distributor for a violation  of  the  Tobacco  Product
Manufacturers'  Escrow Enforcement Act as provided in Section
20 of that Act.
    Any  distributor  aggrieved  by  any  decision   of   the
Department  under  this  Section  may,  within  20 days after
notice of the decision, protest and request a hearing.   Upon
receiving  a request for a hearing, the Department shall give
notice in writing to the distributor requesting  the  hearing
that  contains  a  statement of the charges preferred against
the distributor and that states the time and place fixed  for
the  hearing.   The  Department  shall  hold  the  hearing in
conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its
final  administrative  decision  in   the   matter   to   the
distributor.   In  the absence of a protest and request for a
hearing within  20  days,  the  Department's  decision  shall
become  final without any further determination being made or
notice given.
    No license so revoked, shall  be  reissued  to  any  such
distributor within a period of 6 months after the date of the
final  determination  of  such  revocation.   No such license
shall be reissued at all so long  as  the  person  who  would
receive  the license is ineligible to receive a distributor's
license under this Act for any one or  more  of  the  reasons
provided for in Section 4 of this Act.
    The  Department upon complaint filed in the circuit court
may by injunction restrain any person who fails, or  refuses,
to  comply  with  this  Act  from  acting as a distributor of
cigarettes in this State.
(Source: P.A. 91-901, eff. 1-1-01.)

    Section 915.  The Tobacco Products Tax  Act  of  1995  is
amended by changing Sections 10-20 and 10-25 as follows:

    (35 ILCS 143/10-20)
    Sec.  10-20.  Licenses.  It  shall  be  unlawful  for any
person to engage in business  as  a  distributor  of  tobacco
products  within the meaning of this Act without first having
obtained a license to do so from the Department.  Application
for that license shall be made to the Department  in  a  form
prescribed  and  furnished by the Department.  Each applicant
for a license shall furnish to  the  Department  on  a  form,
signed   and   verified   by  the  applicant,  the  following
information:
         (1)  The name of the applicant.
         (2)  The  address  of  the  location  at  which  the
    applicant proposes to engage in business as a distributor
    of tobacco products.
         (3)  Other information the Department may reasonably
    require.
    Except as  otherwise  provided  in  this  Section,  every
applicant  who is required to procure a distributor's license
shall file with his or her application a  joint  and  several
bond.   The  bond  shall  be  executed  to  the Department of
Revenue, with good and sufficient surety or sureties residing
or licensed to do business  within  the  State  of  Illinois,
conditioned  upon  the  true  and  faithful compliance by the
licensee with  all  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act.   The
Department  shall  fix  the  amount  of  the  bond  for  each
applicant,  taking  into  consideration  the  amount of money
expected to become due from the  applicant  under  this  Act.
The  amount  of  bond  required by the Department shall be an
amount that, in  its  opinion,  will  protect  the  State  of
Illinois  against  failure  to pay the amount that may become
due from the applicant under this Act, but the amount of  the
security  required by the Department shall not exceed 3 times
the amount of the applicant's average monthly tax  liability,
or  $50,000, whichever amount is lower.  The bond, a reissue,
or a substitute shall be kept in full force and effect during
the  entire  period  covered  by  the  license.   A  separate
application for license shall be made, and  bond  filed,  for
each  place  of business at which a person who is required to
procure  a  distributor's  license  proposes  to  engage   in
business as a distributor under this Act.
    The  Department,  upon receipt of an application and bond
in proper form, shall issue to the applicant a license, in  a
form  prescribed  by  the  Department, which shall permit the
applicant to whom it is issued to engage  in  business  as  a
distributor  at  the  place  shown on his or her application.
The license shall be issued by the Department without  charge
or  cost  to the applicant.  No license issued under this Act
is  transferable  or  assignable.   The  license   shall   be
conspicuously displayed in the place of business conducted by
the licensee under the license.
    The bonding requirement in this Section does not apply to
an  applicant  for  a  distributor's  license  who is already
bonded under the Cigarette Tax Act or the Cigarette  Use  Tax
Act.  Licenses  issued by the Department under this Act shall
be valid for a period not to exceed one year  after  issuance
unless  sooner revoked, canceled, or suspended as provided in
this Act.
    No license shall be  issued  to  any  person  who  is  in
default  to  the  State of Illinois for moneys due under this
Act or any other tax Act administered by the Department.
    The Department may, in its discretion, upon  application,
authorize  the payment of the tax imposed under Section 10-10
by any distributor or manufacturer not otherwise  subject  to
the  tax  imposed  under this Act who, to the satisfaction of
the Department, furnishes adequate security to ensure payment
of the tax.  The distributor or manufacturer shall be issued,
without  charge,  a  license  to  remit  the  tax.   When  so
authorized, it shall  be  the  duty  of  the  distributor  or
manufacturer  to  remit  the  tax  imposed upon the wholesale
price of tobacco products sold or otherwise  disposed  of  to
retailers  or  consumers  located  in this State, in the same
manner and subject to the  same  requirements  as  any  other
distributor or manufacturer licensed under this Act.
    The Department may revoke, suspend, or cancel the license
of  a  distributor  of roll-your-own tobacco (as that term is
used in Section 10  of  the  Tobacco  Product  Manufacturers'
Escrow   Act)   under   this   Act  if  the  tobacco  product
manufacturer, as defined in Section 10 of the Tobacco Product
Manufacturers'  Escrow   Act,   that   made   or   sold   the
roll-your-own  tobacco  has  failed to become a participating
manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (a)(1) of Section  15
of  the  Tobacco  Product  Manufacturers'  Escrow Act, or has
failed  to  create  a   qualified   escrow   fund   for   any
roll-your-own  tobacco  manufactured  by  the tobacco product
manufacturer and sold in this State or  otherwise  failed  to
bring  itself  into  compliance  with  subdivision  (a)(2) of
Section 15 of the Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act.
    Any person aggrieved by any decision  of  the  Department
under  this  Section may, within 20 days after notice of that
decision,  protest  and  request  a  hearing,  whereupon  the
Department must give notice to that person of  the  time  and
place  fixed  for  the  hearing  and  must  hold a hearing in
conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its
final administrative decision in the matter to  that  person.
In  the  absence  of  such  a  protest  within  20  days, the
Department's  decision  becomes  final  without  any  further
determination being made or notice given.
(Source: P.A. 92-231, eff. 8-2-01.)

    (35 ILCS 143/10-25)
    Sec. 10-25.  License actions. The Department  may,  after
notice  and a hearing, revoke, cancel, or suspend the license
of any distributor who violates any of the provisions of this
Act.  The notice  shall  specify  the  alleged  violation  or
violations   upon  which  the  revocation,  cancellation,  or
suspension proceeding is based.
    The Department may revoke, cancel, or suspend the license
of any distributor for a violation  of  the  Tobacco  Product
Manufacturers'  Escrow Enforcement Act as provided in Section
20 of that Act.
    The Department may, by application to any circuit  court,
obtain  an  injunction  restraining any person who engages in
business as a  distributor  of  tobacco  products  without  a
license  (either because his or her license has been revoked,
canceled, or suspended or because of a failure  to  obtain  a
license in the first instance) from engaging in that business
until that person, as if that person were a new applicant for
a license, complies with all of the conditions, restrictions,
and  requirements  of Section 10-20 of this Act and qualifies
for and obtains a license. Refusal or  neglect  to  obey  the
order of the court may result in punishment for contempt.
(Source: P.A. 89-21, eff. 6-6-95.)

    Section  999.  Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
    Passed in the General Assembly May 29, 2002.
    Approved July 25, 2002.
    Effective July 25, 2002.

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