HB3606 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 08664 HLH 18718 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3606

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Camille Y. Lilly

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

35 ILCS 143/10-5
35 ILCS 143/10-10
35 ILCS 143/10-21
35 ILCS 143/10-30

Amends the Tobacco Products Act. Defines "electronic cigarette", "nicotine", and "tobacco products". Imposes a tax on any person engaged in business as a distributor of tobacco products at the rate of (i) 18% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State before July 1, 2012; (ii) 36% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State prior to July 1, 2025; and (iii) 45% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State beginning on July 1, 2025. Makes the changes made to the definition of "electronic cigarette" by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly apply on and after June 30, 2025, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly for such taxes paid during the period beginning June 30, 2025 and the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning revenue.

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

Section 5. The Tobacco Products Tax Act of 1995 is amended by changing Sections 10-5, 10-10, 10-21, and 10-30 as follows:

(35 ILCS 143/10-5)

Sec. 10-5. Definitions. For purposes of this Act:

"Business" means any trade, occupation, activity, or enterprise engaged in, at any location whatsoever, for the purpose of selling tobacco products.

"Cigarette" has the meaning ascribed to the term in Section 1 of the Cigarette Tax Act.

"Contraband little cigar" means:

(1) packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars that do not bear a required tax stamp under this Act;

(2) packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars that bear a fraudulent, imitation, or counterfeit tax stamp;

(3) packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars that are improperly tax stamped, including packages of little cigars that bear only a tax stamp of another state or taxing jurisdiction; or

(4) packages of little cigars containing other than 20 or 25 little cigars in the possession of a distributor, retailer or wholesaler, unless the distributor, retailer, or wholesaler possesses, or produces within the time frame provided in Section 10-27 or 10-28 of this Act, an invoice from a stamping distributor, distributor, or wholesaler showing that the tax on the packages has been or will be paid.

"Correctional Industries program" means a program run by a State penal institution in which residents of the penal institution produce tobacco products for sale to persons incarcerated in penal institutions or resident patients of a State operated mental health facility.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Revenue.

"Distributor" means any of the following:

(1) Any manufacturer or wholesaler in this State engaged in the business of selling tobacco products who sells, exchanges, or distributes tobacco products to retailers or consumers in this State.

(2) Any manufacturer or wholesaler engaged in the business of selling tobacco products from without this State who sells, exchanges, distributes, ships, or transports tobacco products to retailers or consumers located in this State, so long as that manufacturer or wholesaler has or maintains within this State, directly or by subsidiary, an office, sales house, or other place of business, or any agent or other representative operating within this State under the authority of the person or subsidiary, irrespective of whether the place of business or agent or other representative is located here permanently or temporarily.

(3) Any retailer who receives tobacco products on which the tax has not been or will not be paid by another distributor.

"Distributor" does not include any person, wherever resident or located, who makes, manufactures, or fabricates tobacco products as part of a Correctional Industries program for sale to residents incarcerated in penal institutions or resident patients of a State operated mental health facility.

"Electronic cigarette" means:

(1) any device that can be used to deliver aerosolized or vaporized nicotine to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to, an e-cigarette, e-cigar, e-pipe, vape pen, or e-hookah. "Electronic cigarette" includes any component, part, or accessory of such a device, whether sold separately, and includes any substance intended to be aerosolized or vaporized during the use of the device. "Electronic cigarette" does not include any battery or battery charger when sold separately. In addition, "electronic cigarette" does not include (A) drugs, devices, or combination products authorized for sale by the United States Food and Drug Administration, as those terms are defined in the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, (B) employs a battery or other mechanism to heat a solution or substance to produce a vapor or aerosol intended for inhalation, except for (A) any device designed solely for use with cannabis that contains a statement on the retail packaging that the device is designed solely for use with cannabis and not for use with tobacco, or (C) (B) any device that contains a solution or substance that contains cannabis subject to tax under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act or the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act;

(2) any cartridge or container of a solution or substance intended to be used with or in the device or to refill the device, except for any cartridge or container of a solution or substance that contains cannabis subject to tax under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act or the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act; or

(3) any solution or substance, whether or not it contains nicotine, intended for use in the device, except for any solution or substance that contains cannabis subject to tax under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act or the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.

The changes made to the definition of "electronic cigarette" by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly apply on and after June 28, 2019, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly for such taxes paid during the period beginning June 28, 2019 and the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. The changes made to the definition of "electronic cigarette" by this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly apply on and after June 30, 2025, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly for such taxes paid during the period beginning June 30, 2025 and the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

"Electronic cigarette" includes, but is not limited to, any electronic nicotine delivery system, electronic cigar, electronic cigarillo, electronic pipe, electronic hookah, vape pen, or similar product or device, and any component or part that can be used to build the product or device. "Electronic cigarette" does not include: cigarettes, as defined in Section 1 of the Cigarette Tax Act; any product approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product, a tobacco dependence product, or for other medical purposes that is marketed and sold solely for that approved purpose; any asthma inhaler prescribed by a physician for that condition that is marketed and sold solely for that approved purpose; or any therapeutic product approved for use under the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act.

"Little cigar" means and includes any roll, made wholly or in part of tobacco, where such roll has an integrated cellulose acetate filter and weighs less than 4 pounds per thousand and the wrapper or cover of which is made in whole or in part of tobacco.

"Manufacturer" means any person, wherever resident or located, who manufactures and sells tobacco products, except a person who makes, manufactures, or fabricates tobacco products as a part of a Correctional Industries program for sale to persons incarcerated in penal institutions or resident patients of a State operated mental health facility.

"Nicotine" means any form of the chemical nicotine, including any salt or complex, regardless of whether the chemical is naturally or synthetically derived, and includes nicotinic alkaloids and nicotine analogs.

Beginning on January 1, 2013, "moist snuff" means any finely cut, ground, or powdered tobacco that is not intended to be smoked, but shall not include any finely cut, ground, or powdered tobacco that is intended to be placed in the nasal cavity.

"Person" means any natural individual, firm, partnership, association, joint stock company, joint venture, limited liability company, or public or private corporation, however formed, or a receiver, executor, administrator, trustee, conservator, or other representative appointed by order of any court.

"Place of business" means and includes any place where tobacco products are sold or where tobacco products are manufactured, stored, or kept for the purpose of sale or consumption, including any vessel, vehicle, airplane, train, or vending machine.

"Prior continuous compliance taxpayer" means any person who is licensed under this Act and who, having been a licensee for a continuous period of 2 years, is determined by the Department not to have been either delinquent or deficient in the payment of tax liability during that period or otherwise in violation of this Act. "Prior continuous compliance taxpayer" also means any taxpayer who has, as verified by the Department, continuously complied with the condition of his bond or other security under provisions of this Act for a period of 2 consecutive years. In calculating the consecutive period of time described in this definition for qualification as a prior continuous compliance taxpayer, a consecutive period of time of qualifying compliance immediately prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly shall be credited to any licensee who became licensed on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly. A distributor that is a prior continuous compliance taxpayer and becomes a successor to a distributor as the result of an acquisition, merger, or consolidation of that distributor shall be deemed to be a prior continuous compliance taxpayer with respect to the acquired, merged, or consolidated entity.

"Retailer" means any person in this State engaged in the business of selling tobacco products to consumers in this State, regardless of quantity or number of sales.

"Sale" means any transfer, exchange, or barter in any manner or by any means whatsoever for a consideration and includes all sales made by persons.

"Stamp" or "stamps" mean the indicia required to be affixed on a package of little cigars that evidence payment of the tax on packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars under Section 10-10 of this Act. These stamps shall be the same stamps used for cigarettes under the Cigarette Tax Act.

"Stamping distributor" means a distributor licensed under this Act and also licensed as a distributor under the Cigarette Tax Act or Cigarette Use Tax Act.

"Tobacco products" means any any product containing, made of, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption or is likely to be consumed, whether inhaled, absorbed, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to, cigars, including little cigars; cheroots; stogies; periques; granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready rubbed, and other smoking tobacco; snuff (including moist snuff) or snuff flour; cavendish; plug and twist tobacco; fine-cut and other chewing tobaccos; shorts; refuse scraps, clippings, cuttings, and sweeping of tobacco; and other kinds and forms of tobacco, snus, tobacco for use in waterpipes, and nicotine pouches prepared in such manner as to be suitable for chewing or smoking in a pipe or otherwise, or both for chewing and smoking; but does not include cigarettes as defined in Section 1 of the Cigarette Tax Act or tobacco purchased for the manufacture of cigarettes by cigarette distributors and manufacturers defined in the Cigarette Tax Act and persons who make, manufacture, or fabricate cigarettes as a part of a Correctional Industries program for sale to residents incarcerated in penal institutions or resident patients of a State operated mental health facility.

Beginning on July 1, 2019, "tobacco products" also includes electronic cigarettes.

"Wholesale price" means the established list price for which a manufacturer sells tobacco products to a distributor, before the allowance of any discount, trade allowance, rebate, or other reduction. In the absence of such an established list price, the manufacturer's invoice price at which the manufacturer sells the tobacco product to unaffiliated distributors, before any discounts, trade allowances, rebates, or other reductions, shall be presumed to be the wholesale price.

"Wholesaler" means any person, wherever resident or located, engaged in the business of selling tobacco products to others for the purpose of resale. "Wholesaler", when used in this Act, does not include a person licensed as a distributor under Section 10-20 of this Act unless expressly stated in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-40, eff. 6-25-21; 103-1001, eff. 8-9-24.)

(35 ILCS 143/10-10)

Sec. 10-10. Tax imposed.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section with respect to little cigars, on the first day of the third month after the month in which this Act becomes law, a tax is imposed on any person engaged in business as a distributor of tobacco products, as defined in Section 10-5, at the rate of (i) 18% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State prior to July 1, 2012; and (ii) 36% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State before beginning on July 1, 2025 2012; and (iii) 45% of the wholesale price of tobacco products sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State beginning on July 1, 2025 except that, beginning on January 1, 2013, the tax on moist snuff shall be imposed at a rate of $0.30 per ounce, and a proportionate tax at the like rate on all fractional parts of an ounce, sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State; and except that, beginning July 1, 2019, the tax on electronic cigarettes shall be imposed at the rate of 15% of the wholesale price of electronic cigarettes sold or otherwise disposed of to retailers or consumers located in this State. The tax is in addition to all other occupation or privilege taxes imposed by the State of Illinois, by any political subdivision thereof, or by any municipal corporation. However, the tax is not imposed upon any activity in that business in interstate commerce or otherwise, to the extent to which that activity may not, under the Constitution and Statutes of the United States, be made the subject of taxation by this State, and except that, beginning July 1, 2013, the tax on little cigars shall be imposed at the same rate, and the proceeds shall be distributed in the same manner, as the tax imposed on cigarettes under the Cigarette Tax Act. The tax is also not imposed on sales made to the United States or any entity thereof.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, stamping distributors of packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars sold or otherwise disposed of in this State shall remit the tax by purchasing tax stamps from the Department and affixing them to packages of little cigars in the same manner as stamps are purchased and affixed to cigarettes under the Cigarette Tax Act, unless the stamping distributor sells or otherwise disposes of those packages of little cigars to another stamping distributor. Only persons meeting the definition of "stamping distributor" contained in Section 10-5 of this Act may affix stamps to packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars. Stamping distributors may not sell or dispose of little cigars at retail to consumers or users at locations where stamping distributors affix stamps to packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars.

(c) The impact of the tax levied by this Act is imposed upon distributors engaged in the business of selling tobacco products to retailers or consumers in this State. Whenever a stamping distributor brings or causes to be brought into this State from without this State, or purchases from without or within this State, any packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars upon which there are no tax stamps affixed as required by this Act, for purposes of resale or disposal in this State to a person not a stamping distributor, then such stamping distributor shall pay the tax to the Department and add the amount of the tax to the price of such packages sold by such stamping distributor. Payment of the tax shall be evidenced by a stamp or stamps affixed to each package of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars.

Stamping distributors paying the tax to the Department on packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars sold to other distributors, wholesalers or retailers shall add the amount of the tax to the price of the packages of little cigars containing 20 or 25 little cigars sold by such stamping distributors.

(d) (Blank). Beginning on January 1, 2013, the tax rate imposed per ounce of moist snuff may not exceed 15% of the tax imposed upon a package of 20 cigarettes pursuant to the Cigarette Tax Act.

(e) All moneys received by the Department under this Act from sales occurring prior to July 1, 2012 shall be paid into the Long-Term Care Provider Fund of the State Treasury. Of the moneys received by the Department from sales occurring on or after July 1, 2012, except for moneys received from the tax imposed on the sale of little cigars, 50% shall be paid into the Long-Term Care Provider Fund and 50% shall be paid into the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund. Beginning July 1, 2013, all moneys received by the Department under this Act from the tax imposed on little cigars shall be distributed as provided in Section 2 of the Cigarette Tax Act. Of the moneys received by the Department from sales occurring on or after July 1, 2025, except for moneys received from the tax imposed on the sale of little cigars, 35% shall be paid into the Long-Term Care Provider Fund, 35% shall be paid into the Healthcare Provider Relief Fund, and 30% shall be paid to the State Tobacco Control Program for health promotion, health communication activities and evaluation, and tobacco use surveillance to reduce tobacco and nicotine use, tobacco-related disease rates, and tobacco-related health disparities.

(Source: P.A. 101-31, eff. 6-28-19.)

(35 ILCS 143/10-21)

Sec. 10-21. Retailer's license. Beginning on January 1, 2016, no person may engage in business as a retailer of tobacco products in this State without first having obtained a license from the Department. Application for license shall be made to the Department, by electronic means, in a form prescribed by the Department. Each applicant for a license under this Section shall furnish to the Department, in an electronic format established by the Department, the following information:

(1) the name and address of the applicant;

(2) the address of the location at which the applicant proposes to engage in business as a retailer of tobacco products in this State;

(3) such other additional information as the Department may lawfully require by its rules and regulations.

The annual license fee payable to the Department for each retailer's license shall be $150 $75. The fee will be deposited into the Tax Compliance and Administration Fund and shall be used for the cost of tobacco retail inspection and contraband tobacco and tobacco smuggling with at least two-thirds of the money being used for contraband tobacco and tobacco smuggling operations and enforcement.

Each applicant for license shall pay such fee to the Department at the time of submitting its application for license to the Department. The Department shall require an applicant for a license under this Section to electronically file and pay the fee.

A separate annual license fee shall be paid for each place of business at which a person who is required to procure a retailer's license under this Section proposes to engage in business as a retailer in Illinois under this Act.

The following are ineligible to receive a retailer's license under this Act:

(1) a person who has been convicted of a felony under any federal or State law for smuggling cigarettes or tobacco products or tobacco tax evasion, if the Department, after investigation and a hearing if requested by the applicant, determines that such person has not been sufficiently rehabilitated to warrant the public trust; and

(2) a corporation, if any officer, manager or director thereof, or any stockholder or stockholders owning in the aggregate more than 5% of the stock of such corporation, would not be eligible to receive a license under this Act for any reason.

The Department, upon receipt of an application and license fee, in proper form, from a person who is eligible to receive a retailer's license under this Act, shall issue to such applicant a license in form as prescribed by the Department, which license shall permit the applicant to which it is issued to engage in business as a retailer under this Act at the place shown in his application. All licenses issued by the Department under this Section 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 issued under this Section is transferable or assignable. Such license shall be conspicuously displayed in the place of business conducted by the licensee in Illinois under such license. A person who obtains a license as a retailer who ceases to do business as specified in the license, or who never commenced business, or whose license is suspended or revoked, shall immediately surrender the license to the Department. The Department shall not issue a license to a retailer unless the retailer is also validly registered under the Retailers Occupation Tax Act.

A retailer as defined under this Act need not obtain an additional license under this Act, but shall be deemed to be sufficiently licensed by virtue of his being properly licensed as a retailer under Section 4g of the Cigarette Tax Act.

Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Department under this Section may, within 30 days after notice of the decision, protest and request a hearing. Upon receiving a request for a hearing, the Department shall give notice to the person requesting the hearing of the time and place fixed for the hearing and shall 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 a protest and request for a hearing within 30 days, the Department's decision shall become final without any further determination being made or notice given.

(Source: P.A. 98-1055, eff. 1-1-16; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-192, eff. 1-1-16.)

(35 ILCS 143/10-30)

Sec. 10-30. Returns.

(a) Every distributor shall, on or before the 15th day of each month, file a return with the Department covering the preceding calendar month. The return shall disclose the wholesale price for all tobacco products other than moist snuff and the quantity in ounces of moist snuff sold or otherwise disposed of and other information that the Department may reasonably require. Information that the Department may reasonably require includes information related to the uniform regulation and taxation of tobacco products. The return shall be filed upon a form prescribed and furnished by the Department.

(b) In addition to the information required under subsection (a), on or before the 15th day of each month, covering the preceding calendar month, each stamping distributor shall, on forms prescribed and furnished by the Department, report the quantity of little cigars sold or otherwise disposed of, including the number of packages of little cigars sold or disposed of during the month containing 20 or 25 little cigars.

(c) At the time when any return of any distributor is due to be filed with the Department, the distributor shall also remit to the Department the tax liability that the distributor has incurred for transactions occurring in the preceding calendar month.

(d) The Department may adopt rules to require the electronic filing of any return or document required to be filed under this Act. Those rules may provide for exceptions from the filing requirement set forth in this paragraph for persons who demonstrate that they do not have access to the Internet and petition the Department to waive the electronic filing requirement.

(e) If any payment provided for in this Section exceeds the distributor's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the distributor may credit such excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under this Act, in accordance with reasonable rules adopted by the Department.

(Source: P.A. 103-592, eff. 1-1-25.)