Bills

AB 261: Drug paraphernalia retailers.

  • Session Year: 2015-2016
  • House: Assembly
  • Latest Version Date: 2016-01-04
Version:

The California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003 requires a retailer to have and maintain a license from the State Board of Equalization to engage in the sale of cigarette and tobacco products in California.

Existing law prohibits prohibits, except as authorized, a person from maintaining or operating any place of business in which drug paraphernalia is kept, displayed, or offered in any manner, sold, furnished, transferred, or given away, unless that drug paraphernalia is completely and wholly kept, displayed, or offered within a separate room or enclosure to which persons under 18 years of age not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian are excluded. excluded, prohibits an owner, manager, proprietor, or person in charge of such a room or enclosure from allowing any person under 18 years of age to enter the room or enclosure unless accompanied by his or her parents or legal guardian, and prohibits a person under 18 years of age from being in, remaining in, or visiting that room or enclosure unless accompanied by his or her parents or legal guardian. Under existing law, a violation of that provision those provisions is not a criminal offense, but is grounds for revocation or nonrenewal of any license, permit, or other entitlement previously issued by a city, county, or city and county for the privilege of engaging in that business and is grounds for denial of any future license, permit, or other entitlement authorizing the conduct of that business or any other business, if the business includes the sale of drug paraphernalia.

This bill would instead prohibit a person from maintaining or operating a place of business described above unless the person has in place and maintains a license to engage in the sale of cigarette or tobacco products, and the place of business derives at least 50% of its annual gross revenues from the retail sale of cigarettes or tobacco products, as those terms are defined. in which drug paraphernalia is kept, displayed or offered in any manner, sold, furnished, transferred or given away, except as authorized by law.

Authors shown for version:
Amended Assembly (1/4/2016)

Bill Author