Bill Text: CA SB631 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Nitrous oxide: retail sales.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-07-06 - July 11 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. [SB631 Detail]
Download: California-2017-SB631-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
July 03, 2017 |
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
June 08, 2017 |
|
Amended
IN
Senate
April 17, 2017 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
| Senate Bill | No. 631 |
| Introduced by Senator Nielsen |
February 17, 2017 |
An act to add Division 8.7 (commencing with Section 22995) to the Business and Professions Code, relating to nitrous oxide.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 631, as amended, Nielsen.
Nitrous oxide: retail sales.
Existing law prohibits the possession of nitrous oxide with the intent of inhaling it for specified purposes, including to cause intoxication. Existing law also prohibits the sale of nitrous oxide to any person under 18 years of age. Existing law makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly dispense nitrous oxide to a person who will use it for specified prohibited purposes, if that person then causes death or great bodily injury to himself or herself or another person. Finally, existing law requires a seller of nitrous oxide to keep a record of persons who purchase nitrous oxide from it and also to provide certain written warnings to the purchaser.
This bill would prohibit a retailer of tobacco or tobacco-related products, as defined, from selling, offering, or exposing for sale nitrous oxide, as specified. The bill would authorize a civil penalty to
be assessed against a retailer who violates this prohibition and would require the suspension of the retailer’s license to engage in the sale of cigarettes or tobacco products, if the retailer possesses that license.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Division 8.7 (commencing with Section 22995) is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:DIVISION 8.7. Sale of Nitrous Oxide by Retailers of Tobacco and Tobacco-related Products
22995.
(a) It is unlawful for any retailer of tobacco or tobacco-related products to sell, offer for sale, or expose for sale any device, canister, tank, or receptacle either exclusively containing nitrous oxide or exclusively containing a chemical compound mixed with nitrous oxide.(b) This section does not apply to the sale, offering for sale, or exposure for sale of nitrous oxide contained in food products for use as a propellant.
(c) The Attorney General, a city attorney, a county counsel, or a district attorney may bring
a civil action to enforce this section.
(d) Any person or business that violates subdivision (a) is subject to a civil penalty of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
(e) The civil penalty shall be deposited into the General Fund if the action is brought by the Attorney General. If the action is brought by a city attorney, the civil penalty shall be paid to the treasurer of the city in which the judgment is entered. If the action is brought by a county counsel, the civil penalty shall be paid to the treasurer of the county in which the judgment is entered.
(f) In addition to the penalty described in subdivision (a), if the person or business holds a license issued pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 22972) of
Division 8.6, the enforcing agency shall, within 60 days of the final adjudication of the civil penalty in favor of the enforcing agency, or the payment of the civil penalty for an uncontested violation, notify the State Board of Equalization of the violation. The State Board of Equalization shall then suspend that license for a period of 90 days.
22996.
As used in this division, “retailer of tobacco or tobacco-related products” means a retail business that meets both of the following requirements:(a) Primarily engages in the retail sale to consumers of cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, or snuff, or any liquid containing nicotine for use in an electronic vaporizing device, or any cigarette lighters, cigar cutters, rolling papers, smoking pipes, water pipes, hookahs, electronic cigarettes or electronic vaporizing devices, or any other paraphernalia associated with the smoking or ingesting of tobacco.
(b) Generates more than 50 percent of its gross
revenues annually from the sale of products described in subdivision (a).
