[ Search ] [ PDF text ] [ Legislation ]
[ Home ] [ Back ] [ Bottom ]
[ Engrossed ] | [ Enrolled ] | [ House Amendment 001 ] |
[ House Amendment 002 ] | [ Senate Amendment 001 ] |
92_SB2017 LRB9215600SMdv 1 AN ACT concerning tobacco. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the 5 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act. 6 Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act: 7 "Cigarette" has the same meaning as that term is defined 8 in Section 10 of the Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow 9 Act. 10 "Distributor" has the same meaning as that term is 11 defined in Section 1 of the Cigarette Tax Act. 12 "Participating manufacturer" has the same meaning as that 13 term is defined in subdivision (a)(1) of Section 15 of the 14 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act. 15 "Qualified escrow fund" has the same meaning as that term 16 is defined in subdivision (a)(2)(A) of Section 15 of the 17 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act. 18 "Stamps" means (i) revenue tax stamps as provided for in 19 Section 3 of the Cigarette Tax Act and (ii) stamps evidencing 20 the payment of use tax as provided for in Section 3 of the 21 Cigarette Use Tax Act. 22 "Tobacco product manufacturer" has the same meaning as 23 that term is defined in Section 10 of the Tobacco Product 24 Manufacturers' Escrow Act. 25 Section 15. Distributor's determination of tobacco 26 product manufacturer compliance. A distributor may not affix, 27 or cause to be affixed, stamps to individual packages of 28 cigarettes delivered or caused to be delivered by the 29 distributor in this State if the tobacco product manufacturer 30 of those cigarettes has: -2- LRB9215600SMdv 1 (1) failed to become a participating manufacturer; or 2 (2) failed to create a qualified escrow fund for any 3 cigarettes manufactured by the tobacco product manufacturer 4 and sold in this State or otherwise failed to bring itself 5 into compliance with subdivision (a)(2) of Section 15 of the 6 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act. 7 Section 20. Penalties. A distributor who violates this 8 Act is subject to the same penalties as provided in Section 6 9 of the Cigarette Tax Act or Section 6 of the Cigarette Use 10 Tax Act, as appropriate. 11 Section 25. Rules. The Illinois Attorney General, in 12 consultation with the Illinois Department of Revenue, shall 13 adopt rules as necessary to effectuate compliance with this 14 Act and with the Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Act. 15 Section 905. The Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow 16 Act is amended by adding Section 20 as follows: 17 (30 ILCS 168/20 new) 18 Sec. 20. Rules. The Illinois Attorney General, in 19 consultation with the Illinois Department of Revenue, shall 20 adopt rules as provided under Section 25 of the Tobacco 21 Product Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act. 22 Section 910. The Cigarette Tax Act is amended by 23 changing Sections 3 and 6 as follows: 24 (35 ILCS 130/3) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.3) 25 Sec. 3. Affixing tax stamp; remitting tax to the 26 Department. Payment of the taxes imposed by Section 2 of 27 this Act shall (except as hereinafter provided) be evidenced 28 by revenue tax stamps affixed to each original package of -3- LRB9215600SMdv 1 cigarettes. Each distributor of cigarettes, before delivering 2 or causing to be delivered any original package of cigarettes 3 in this State to a purchaser, shall firmly affix a proper 4 stamp or stamps to each such package, or (in case of 5 manufacturers of cigarettes in original packages which are 6 contained inside a sealed transparent wrapper) shall imprint 7 the required language on the original package of cigarettes 8 beneath such outside wrapper, as hereinafter provided. 9 No stamp or imprint may be affixed to, or made upon, any 10 package of cigarettes unless that package complies with all 11 requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and 12 Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. 1331 and following, for the 13 placement of labels, warnings, or any other information upon 14 a package of cigarettes that is sold within the United 15 States. Under the authority of Section 6, the Department 16 shall revoke the license of any distributor that is 17 determined to have violated this paragraph. A person may not 18 affix a stamp on a package of cigarettes, cigarette papers, 19 wrappers, or tubes if that individual package has been marked 20 for export outside the United States with a label or notice 21 in compliance with Section 290.185 of Title 27 of the Code of 22 Federal Regulations. It is not a defense to a proceeding for 23 violation of this paragraph that the label or notice has been 24 removed, mutilated, obliterated, or altered in any manner. 25 The Department, or any person authorized by the 26 Department, shall sell such stamps only to persons holding 27 valid licenses as distributors under this Act. The Department 28 may refuse to sell stamps to any person who does not comply 29 with the provisions of this Act. 30 Prior to December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow a 31 distributor 21 days in which to make final payment of the 32 amount to be paid for such stamps, by allowing the 33 distributor to make payment for the stamps at the time of 34 purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such form as -4- LRB9215600SMdv 1 the Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within 2 21 days thereafter: Provided that such distributor has filed 3 with the Department, and has received the Department's 4 approval of, a bond, which is in addition to the bond 5 required under Section 4 of this Act, payable to the 6 Department in an amount equal to 80% of such distributor's 7 average monthly tax liability to the Department under this 8 Act during the preceding calendar year or $500,000, whichever 9 is less. The Bond shall be joint and several and shall be in 10 the form of a surety company bond in such form as the 11 Department prescribes, or it may be in the form of a bank 12 certificate of deposit or bank letter of credit. The bond 13 shall be conditioned upon the distributor's payment of amount 14 of any 21-day draft which the Department accepts from that 15 distributor for the delivery of stamps to that distributor 16 under this Act. The distributor's failure to pay any such 17 draft, when due, shall also make such distributor 18 automatically liable to the Department for a penalty equal to 19 25% of the amount of such draft. 20 On and after December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow 21 a distributor 30 days in which to make final payment of the 22 amount to be paid for such stamps, by allowing the 23 distributor to make payment for the stamps at the time of 24 purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such form as 25 the Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within 26 30 days thereafter, and beginning on January 1, 2003 and 27 thereafter, the draft shall be payable by means of electronic 28 funds transfer: Provided that such distributor has filed 29 with the Department, and has received the Department's 30 approval of, a bond, which is in addition to the bond 31 required under Section 4 of this Act, payable to the 32 Department in an amount equal to 150% of such distributor's 33 average monthly tax liability to the Department under this 34 Act during the preceding calendar year or $750,000, whichever -5- LRB9215600SMdv 1 is less, except that as to bonds filed on or after January 1, 2 1987, such additional bond shall be in an amount equal to 3 100% of such distributor's average monthly tax liability 4 under this Act during the preceding calendar year or 5 $750,000, whichever is less. The bond shall be joint and 6 several and shall be in the form of a surety company bond in 7 such form as the Department prescribes, or it may be in the 8 form of a bank certificate of deposit or bank letter of 9 credit. The bond shall be conditioned upon the distributor's 10 payment of the amount of any 30-day draft which the 11 Department accepts from that distributor for the delivery of 12 stamps to that distributor under this Act. The distributor's 13 failure to pay any such draft, when due, shall also make such 14 distributor automatically liable to the Department for a 15 penalty equal to 25% of the amount of such draft. 16 Every prior continuous compliance taxpayer shall be 17 exempt from all requirements under this Section concerning 18 the furnishing of such bond, as defined in this Section, as a 19 condition precedent to his being authorized to engage in the 20 business licensed under this Act. This exemption shall 21 continue for each such taxpayer until such time as he may be 22 determined by the Department to be delinquent in the filing 23 of any returns, or is determined by the Department (either 24 through the Department's issuance of a final assessment which 25 has become final under the Act, or by the taxpayer's filing 26 of a return which admits tax to be due that is not paid) to 27 be delinquent or deficient in the paying of any tax under 28 this Act, at which time that taxpayer shall become subject to 29 the bond requirements of this Section and, as a condition of 30 being allowed to continue to engage in the business licensed 31 under this Act, shall be required to furnish bond to the 32 Department in such form as provided in this Section. Such 33 taxpayer shall furnish such bond for a period of 2 years, 34 after which, if the taxpayer has not been delinquent in the -6- LRB9215600SMdv 1 filing of any returns, or delinquent or deficient in the 2 paying of any tax under this Act, the Department may 3 reinstate such person as a prior continuance compliance 4 taxpayer. Any taxpayer who fails to pay an admitted or 5 established liability under this Act may also be required to 6 post bond or other acceptable security with the Department 7 guaranteeing the payment of such admitted or established 8 liability. 9 Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Department 10 under this Section may, within the time allowed by law, 11 protest and request a hearing, whereupon the Department shall 12 give notice and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the 13 provisions of this Act and then issue its final 14 administrative decision in the matter to such person. In the 15 absence of such a protest filed within the time allowed by 16 law, the Department's decision shall become final without any 17 further determination being made or notice given. 18 The Department shall discharge any surety and shall 19 release and return any bond or security deposited, assigned, 20 pledged, or otherwise provided to it by a taxpayer under this 21 Section within 30 days after: 22 (1) Such taxpayer becomes a prior continuous compliance 23 taxpayer; or 24 (2) Such taxpayer has ceased to collect receipts on 25 which he is required to remit tax to the Department, has 26 filed a final tax return, and has paid to the Department an 27 amount sufficient to discharge his remaining tax liability as 28 determined by the Department under this Act. The Department 29 shall make a final determination of the taxpayer's 30 outstanding tax liability as expeditiously as possible after 31 his final tax return has been filed. If the Department 32 cannot make such final determination within 45 days after 33 receiving the final tax return, within such period it shall 34 so notify the taxpayer, stating its reasons therefor. -7- LRB9215600SMdv 1 The Department may authorize distributors to affix 2 revenue tax stamps by imprinting tax meter stamps upon 3 original packages of cigarettes. The Department shall adopt 4 rules and regulations relating to the imprinting of such tax 5 meter stamps as will result in payment of the proper taxes as 6 herein imposed. No distributor may affix revenue tax stamps 7 to original packages of cigarettes by imprinting tax meter 8 stamps thereon unless such distributor has first obtained 9 permission from the Department to employ this method of 10 affixation. The Department shall regulate the use of tax 11 meters and may, to assure the proper collection of the taxes 12 imposed by this Act, revoke or suspend the privilege, 13 theretofore granted by the Department to any distributor, to 14 imprint tax meter stamps upon original packages of 15 cigarettes. 16 Illinois cigarette manufacturers who place their 17 cigarettes in original packages which are contained inside a 18 sealed transparent wrapper, and similar out-of-State 19 cigarette manufacturers who elect to qualify and are accepted 20 by the Department as distributors under Section 4b of this 21 Act, shall pay the taxes imposed by this Act by remitting the 22 amount thereof to the Department by the 5th day of each month 23 covering cigarettes shipped or otherwise delivered in 24 Illinois to purchasers during the preceding calendar month. 25 Such manufacturers of cigarettes in original packages which 26 are contained inside a sealed transparent wrapper, before 27 delivering such cigarettes or causing such cigarettes to be 28 delivered in this State to purchasers, shall evidence their 29 obligation to remit the taxes due with respect to such 30 cigarettes by imprinting language to be prescribed by the 31 Department on each original package of such cigarettes 32 underneath the sealed transparent outside wrapper of such 33 original package, in such place thereon and in such manner as 34 the Department may designate. Such imprinted language shall -8- LRB9215600SMdv 1 acknowledge the manufacturer's payment of or liability for 2 the tax imposed by this Act with respect to the distribution 3 of such cigarettes. 4 A distributor may not affix, or cause to be affixed, 5 stamps to individual packages of cigarettes delivered or 6 caused to be delivered by the distributor in this State 7 unless the distributor complies with Section 15 of the 8 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act. 9 (Source: P.A. 91-246, eff. 7-22-99; 92-322, eff. 1-1-02.) 10 (35 ILCS 130/6) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.6) 11 Sec. 6. Revocation, cancellation, or suspension of 12 license. The Department may, after notice and hearing as 13 provided for by this Act, revoke, cancel or suspend the 14 license of any distributor for the violation of any provision 15 of this Act, or for noncompliance with any provision herein 16 contained, or for any noncompliance with any lawful rule or 17 regulation promulgated by the Department under Section 8 of 18 this Act, or because the licensee is determined to be 19 ineligible for a distributor's license for any one or more of 20 the reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act. However, 21 no such license shall be revoked, cancelled or suspended, 22 except after a hearing by the Department with notice to the 23 distributor, as aforesaid, and affording such distributor a 24 reasonable opportunity to appear and defend, and any 25 distributor aggrieved by any decision of the Department with 26 respect thereto may have the determination of the Department 27 judicially reviewed, as herein provided. 28 The Department may revoke, cancel, or suspend the license 29 of any distributor for a violation of the Tobacco Product 30 Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act as provided in Section 31 20 of that Act. 32 Any distributor aggrieved by any decision of the 33 Department under this Section may, within 20 days after -9- LRB9215600SMdv 1 notice of the decision, protest and request a hearing. Upon 2 receiving a request for a hearing, the Department shall give 3 notice in writing to the distributor requesting the hearing 4 that contains a statement of the charges preferred against 5 the distributor and that states the time and place fixed for 6 the hearing. The Department shall hold the hearing in 7 conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its 8 final administrative decision in the matter to the 9 distributor. In the absence of a protest and request for a 10 hearing within 20 days, the Department's decision shall 11 become final without any further determination being made or 12 notice given. 13 No license so revoked, as aforesaid, shall be reissued to 14 any such distributor within a period of 6 months after the 15 date of the final determination of such revocation. No such 16 license shall be reissued at all so long as the person who 17 would receive the license is ineligible to receive a 18 distributor's license under this Act for any one or more of 19 the reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act. 20 The Department upon complaint filed in the circuit court 21 may by injunction restrain any person who fails, or refuses, 22 to comply with any of the provisions of this Act from acting 23 as a distributor of cigarettes in this State. 24 (Source: P.A. 91-901, eff. 1-1-01.) 25 Section 915. The Cigarette Use Tax Act is amended by 26 changing Sections 3 and 6 as follows: 27 (35 ILCS 135/3) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.33) 28 Sec. 3. Stamp payment. The tax hereby imposed shall be 29 collected by a distributor maintaining a place of business in 30 this State or a distributor authorized by the Department 31 pursuant to Section 7 hereof to collect the tax, and the 32 amount of the tax shall be added to the price of the -10- LRB9215600SMdv 1 cigarettes sold by such distributor. Collection of the tax 2 shall be evidenced by a stamp or stamps affixed to each 3 original package of cigarettes or by an authorized substitute 4 for such stamp imprinted on each original package of such 5 cigarettes underneath the sealed transparent outside wrapper 6 of such original package, except as hereinafter provided. 7 Each distributor who is required or authorized to collect the 8 tax herein imposed, before delivering or causing to be 9 delivered any original packages of cigarettes in this State 10 to any purchaser, shall firmly affix a proper stamp or stamps 11 to each such package, or (in the case of manufacturers of 12 cigarettes in original packages which are contained inside a 13 sealed transparent wrapper) shall imprint the required 14 language on the original package of cigarettes beneath such 15 outside wrapper as hereinafter provided. Such stamp or stamps 16 need not be affixed to the original package of any cigarettes 17 with respect to which the distributor is required to affix a 18 like stamp or stamps by virtue of the Cigarette Tax Act, 19 however, and no tax imprint need be placed underneath the 20 sealed transparent wrapper of an original package of 21 cigarettes with respect to which the distributor is required 22 or authorized to employ a like tax imprint by virtue of the 23 Cigarette Tax Act. 24 No stamp or imprint may be affixed to, or made upon, any 25 package of cigarettes unless that package complies with all 26 requirements of the federal Cigarette Labeling and 27 Advertising Act, 15 U.S.C. 1331 and following, for the 28 placement of labels, warnings, or any other information upon 29 a package of cigarettes that is sold within the United 30 States. Under the authority of Section 6, the Department 31 shall revoke the license of any distributor that is 32 determined to have violated this paragraph. A person may not 33 affix a stamp on a package of cigarettes, cigarette papers, 34 wrappers, or tubes if that individual package has been marked -11- LRB9215600SMdv 1 for export outside the United States with a label or notice 2 in compliance with Section 290.185 of Title 27 of the Code of 3 Federal Regulations. It is not a defense to a proceeding for 4 violation of this paragraph that the label or notice has been 5 removed, mutilated, obliterated, or altered in any manner. 6 Stamps, when required hereunder, shall be purchased from 7 the Department, or any person authorized by the Department, 8 by distributors. The Department may refuse to sell stamps to 9 any person who does not comply with the provisions of this 10 Act. 11 Prior to December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow a 12 distributor 21 days in which to make final payment of the 13 amount to be paid for such stamps, by allowing the 14 distributor to make payment for the stamps at the time of 15 purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such form as 16 the Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within 17 21 days thereafter: Provided that such distributor has filed 18 with the Department, and has received the Department's 19 approval of, a bond, which is in addition to the bond 20 required under Section 4 of this Act, payable to the 21 Department in an amount equal to 80% of such distributor's 22 average monthly tax liability to the Department under this 23 Act during the preceding calendar year or $500,000, whichever 24 is less. The bond shall be joint and several and shall be in 25 the form of a surety company bond in such form as the 26 Department prescribes, or it may be in the form of a bank 27 certificate of deposit or bank letter of credit. The bond 28 shall be conditioned upon the distributor's payment of the 29 amount of any 21-day draft which the Department accepts from 30 that distributor for the delivery of stamps to that 31 distributor under this Act. The distributor's failure to pay 32 any such draft, when due, shall also make such distributor 33 automatically liable to the Department for a penalty equal to 34 25% of the amount of such draft. -12- LRB9215600SMdv 1 On and after December 1, 1985, the Department shall allow 2 a distributor 30 days in which to make final payment of the 3 amount to be paid for such stamps, by allowing the 4 distributor to make payment for the stamps at the time of 5 purchasing them with a draft which shall be in such form as 6 the Department prescribes, and which shall be payable within 7 30 days thereafter, and beginning on January 1, 2003 and 8 thereafter, the draft shall be payable by means of electronic 9 funds transfer: Provided that such distributor has filed 10 with the Department, and has received the Department's 11 approval of, a bond, which is in addition to the bond 12 required under Section 4 of this Act, payable to the 13 Department in an amount equal to 150% of such distributor's 14 average monthly tax liability to the Department under this 15 Act during the preceding calendar year or $750,000, whichever 16 is less, except that as to bonds filed on or after January 1, 17 1987, such additional bond shall be in an amount equal to 18 100% of such distributor's average monthly tax liability 19 under this Act during the preceding calendar year or 20 $750,000, whichever is less. The bond shall be joint and 21 several and shall be in the form of a surety company bond in 22 such form as the Department prescribes, or it may be in the 23 form of a bank certificate of deposit or bank letter of 24 credit. The bond shall be conditioned upon the distributor's 25 payment of the amount of any 30-day draft which the 26 Department accepts from that distributor for the delivery of 27 stamps to that distributor under this Act. The distributor's 28 failure to pay any such draft, when due, shall also make such 29 distributor automatically liable to the Department for a 30 penalty equal to 25% of the amount of such draft. 31 Every prior continuous compliance taxpayer shall be 32 exempt from all requirements under this Section concerning 33 the furnishing of such bond, as defined in this Section, as a 34 condition precedent to his being authorized to engage in the -13- LRB9215600SMdv 1 business licensed under this Act. This exemption shall 2 continue for each such taxpayer until such time as he may be 3 determined by the Department to be delinquent in the filing 4 of any returns, or is determined by the Department (either 5 through the Department's issuance of a final assessment which 6 has become final under the Act, or by the taxpayer's filing 7 of a return which admits tax to be due that is not paid) to 8 be delinquent or deficient in the paying of any tax under 9 this Act, at which time that taxpayer shall become subject to 10 the bond requirements of this Section and, as a condition of 11 being allowed to continue to engage in the business licensed 12 under this Act, shall be required to furnish bond to the 13 Department in such form as provided in this Section. Such 14 taxpayer shall furnish such bond for a period of 2 years, 15 after which, if the taxpayer has not been delinquent in the 16 filing of any returns, or delinquent or deficient in the 17 paying of any tax under this Act, the Department may 18 reinstate such person as a prior continuance compliance 19 taxpayer. Any taxpayer who fails to pay an admitted or 20 established liability under this Act may also be required to 21 post bond or other acceptable security with the Department 22 guaranteeing the payment of such admitted or established 23 liability. 24 Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Department 25 under this Section may, within the time allowed by law, 26 protest and request a hearing, whereupon the Department shall 27 give notice and shall hold a hearing in conformity with the 28 provisions of this Act and then issue its final 29 administrative decision in the matter to such person. In the 30 absence of such a protest filed within the time allowed by 31 law, the Department's decision shall become final without any 32 further determination being made or notice given. 33 The Department shall discharge any surety and shall 34 release and return any bond or security deposited, assigned, -14- LRB9215600SMdv 1 pledged, or otherwise provided to it by a taxpayer under this 2 Section within 30 days after: 3 (1) such Taxpayer becomes a prior continuous 4 compliance taxpayer; or 5 (2) such taxpayer has ceased to collect receipts on 6 which he is required to remit tax to the Department, has 7 filed a final tax return, and has paid to the Department 8 an amount sufficient to discharge his remaining tax 9 liability as determined by the Department under this Act. 10 The Department shall make a final determination of the 11 taxpayer's outstanding tax liability as expeditiously as 12 possible after his final tax return has been filed. If 13 the Department cannot make such final determination 14 within 45 days after receiving the final tax return, 15 within such period it shall so notify the taxpayer, 16 stating its reasons therefor. 17 At the time of purchasing such stamps from the Department 18 when purchase is required by this Act, or at the time when 19 the tax which he has collected is remitted by a distributor 20 to the Department without the purchase of stamps from the 21 Department when that method of remitting the tax that has 22 been collected is required or authorized by this Act, the 23 distributor shall be allowed a discount during any year 24 commencing July 1 and ending the following June 30 in 25 accordance with the schedule set out hereinbelow, from the 26 amount to be paid by him to the Department for such stamps, 27 or to be paid by him to the Department on the basis of 28 monthly remittances (as the case may be), to cover the cost, 29 to such distributor, of collecting the tax herein imposed by 30 affixing such stamps to the original packages of cigarettes 31 sold by such distributor or by placing tax imprints 32 underneath the sealed transparent wrapper of original 33 packages of cigarettes sold by such distributor (as the case 34 may be): (1) Prior to December 1, 1985, a discount equal to -15- LRB9215600SMdv 1 1-2/3% of the amount of the tax up to and including the first 2 $700,000 paid hereunder by such distributor to the Department 3 during any such year; 1-1/3% of the next $700,000 of tax or 4 any part thereof, paid hereunder by such distributor to the 5 Department during any such year; 1% of the next $700,000 of 6 tax, or any part thereof, paid hereunder by such distributor 7 to the Department during any such year; and 2/3 of 1% of the 8 amount of any additional tax paid hereunder by such 9 distributor to the Department during any such year or (2) On 10 and after December 1, 1985, a discount equal to 1.75% of the 11 amount of the tax payable under this Act up to and including 12 the first $3,000,000 paid hereunder by such distributor to 13 the Department during any such year and 1.5% of the amount of 14 any additional tax paid hereunder by such distributor to the 15 Department during any such year. 16 Two or more distributors that use a common means of 17 affixing revenue tax stamps or that are owned or controlled 18 by the same interests shall be treated as a single 19 distributor for the purpose of computing the discount. 20 Cigarette manufacturers who are distributors under this 21 Act, and who place their cigarettes in original packages 22 which are contained inside a sealed transparent wrapper, 23 shall be required to remit the tax which they are required to 24 collect under this Act to the Department by remitting the 25 amount thereof to the Department by the 5th day of each 26 month, covering cigarettes shipped or otherwise delivered to 27 points in Illinois to purchasers during the preceding 28 calendar month, but a distributor need not remit to the 29 Department the tax so collected by him from purchasers under 30 this Act to the extent to which such distributor is required 31 to remit the tax imposed by the Cigarette Tax Act to the 32 Department with respect to the same cigarettes. All taxes 33 upon cigarettes under this Act are a direct tax upon the 34 retail consumer and shall conclusively be presumed to be -16- LRB9215600SMdv 1 precollected for the purpose of convenience and facility 2 only. Distributors who are manufacturers of cigarettes in 3 original packages which are contained inside a sealed 4 transparent wrapper, before delivering such cigarettes or 5 causing such cigarettes to be delivered in this State to 6 purchasers, shall evidence their obligation to collect and 7 remit the tax due with respect to such cigarettes by 8 imprinting language to be prescribed by the Department on 9 each original package of such cigarettes underneath the 10 sealed transparent outside wrapper of such original package, 11 in such place thereon and in such manner as the Department 12 may prescribe; provided (as stated hereinbefore) that this 13 requirement does not apply when such distributor is required 14 or authorized by the Cigarette Tax Act to place the tax 15 imprint provided for in the last paragraph of Section 3 of 16 that Act underneath the sealed transparent wrapper of such 17 original package of cigarettes. Such imprinted language shall 18 acknowledge the manufacturer's collection and payment of or 19 liability for the tax imposed by this Act with respect to 20 such cigarettes. 21 The Department shall adopt the design or designs of the 22 tax stamps and shall procure the printing of such stamps in 23 such amounts and denominations as it deems necessary to 24 provide for the affixation of the proper amount of tax stamps 25 to each original package of cigarettes. 26 Where tax stamps are required, the Department may 27 authorize distributors to affix revenue tax stamps by 28 imprinting tax meter stamps upon original packages of 29 cigarettes. The Department shall adopt rules and regulations 30 relating to the imprinting of such tax meter stamps as will 31 result in payment of the proper taxes as herein imposed. No 32 distributor may affix revenue tax stamps to original packages 33 of cigarettes by imprinting meter stamps thereon unless such 34 distributor has first obtained permission from the Department -17- LRB9215600SMdv 1 to employ this method of affixation. The Department shall 2 regulate the use of tax meters and may, to assure the proper 3 collection of the taxes imposed by this Act, revoke or 4 suspend the privilege, theretofore granted by the Department 5 to any distributor, to imprint tax meter stamps upon original 6 packages of cigarettes. 7 The tax hereby imposed and not paid pursuant to this 8 Section shall be paid to the Department directly by any 9 person using such cigarettes within this State, pursuant to 10 Section 12 hereof. 11 A distributor may not affix, or cause to be affixed, 12 stamps to individual packages of cigarettes delivered or 13 caused to be delivered by the distributor in this State 14 unless the distributor complies with Section 15 of the 15 Tobacco Product Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act. 16 (Source: P.A. 91-246, eff. 7-22-99; 92-322, eff. 1-1-02.) 17 (35 ILCS 135/6) (from Ch. 120, par. 453.36) 18 Sec. 6. Revocation, cancellation, or suspension of 19 license. The Department may, after notice and hearing as 20 provided for by this Act, revoke, cancel or suspend the 21 license of any distributor for the violation of any provision 22 of this Act, or for non-compliance with any provision herein 23 contained, or for any non-compliance with any lawful rule or 24 regulation promulgated by the Department under Section 21 of 25 this Act, or because the licensee is determined to be 26 ineligible for a distributor's license for any one or more of 27 the reasons provided for in Section 4 of this Act. However, 28 no such license shall be revoked, canceled or suspended, 29 except after a hearing by the Department with notice to the 30 distributor, as aforesaid, and affording such distributor a 31 reasonable opportunity to appear and defend, and any 32 distributor aggrieved by any decision of the Department with 33 respect thereto may have the determination of the Department -18- LRB9215600SMdv 1 judicially reviewed, as herein provided. 2 The Department may revoke, cancel, or suspend the license 3 of any distributor for a violation of the Tobacco Product 4 Manufacturers' Escrow Enforcement Act as provided in Section 5 20 of that Act. 6 Any distributor aggrieved by any decision of the 7 Department under this Section may, within 20 days after 8 notice of the decision, protest and request a hearing. Upon 9 receiving a request for a hearing, the Department shall give 10 notice in writing to the distributor requesting the hearing 11 that contains a statement of the charges preferred against 12 the distributor and that states the time and place fixed for 13 the hearing. The Department shall hold the hearing in 14 conformity with the provisions of this Act and then issue its 15 final administrative decision in the matter to the 16 distributor. In the absence of a protest and request for a 17 hearing within 20 days, the Department's decision shall 18 become final without any further determination being made or 19 notice given. 20 No license so revoked, shall be reissued to any such 21 distributor within a period of 6 months after the date of the 22 final determination of such revocation. No such license 23 shall be reissued at all so long as the person who would 24 receive the license is ineligible to receive a distributor's 25 license under this Act for any one or more of the reasons 26 provided for in Section 4 of this Act. 27 The Department upon complaint filed in the circuit court 28 may by injunction restrain any person who fails, or refuses, 29 to comply with this Act from acting as a distributor of 30 cigarettes in this State. 31 (Source: P.A. 91-901, eff. 1-1-01.) 32 Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 33 becoming law.