BILL REQ. #:  Z-0845.3 

Read first time 01/19/2004.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Trade.

     AN ACT Relating to inspection of books, documents, and records pertaining to the transportation or possession of cigarettes; amending RCW 82.24.110; reenacting and amending RCW 82.24.130; adding a new section to chapter 82.24 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 82.24 RCW to read as follows:
     For the purpose of obtaining information concerning any matter relating to the administration or enforcement of this title, the board, or any of its agents, may inspect the books, documents, or records of any person transporting cigarettes to any person or entity in this state and books, documents, or records containing any information relating to the transportation or possession of cigarettes in the possession of a specific common or contract carrier as defined in RCW 81.80.010 doing business in this state. Failure to allow such inspection may result in forfeiture and seizure of the cigarettes pursuant to RCW 82.24.130.

Sec. 2   RCW 82.24.110 and 2003 c 114 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Each of the following acts is a gross misdemeanor and punishable as such:
     (a) To sell, except as a licensed wholesaler engaged in interstate commerce as to the article being taxed herein, without the stamp first being affixed;
     (b) To sell in Washington as a wholesaler to a retailer who does not possess and is required to possess a current cigarette retailer's license;
     (c) To use or have in possession knowingly or intentionally any forged or counterfeit stamps;
     (d) For any person other than the department of revenue or its duly authorized agent to sell any stamps not affixed to any of the articles taxed herein whether such stamps are genuine or counterfeit;
     (e) To violate any of the provisions of this chapter;
     (f) To violate any lawful rule made and published by the department of revenue or the board;
     (g) To use any stamps more than once;
     (h) To refuse to allow the department of revenue or its duly authorized agent, on demand, to make full inspection of any place of business where any of the articles herein taxed are sold or otherwise hinder or prevent such inspection;
     (i) For any retailer to have in possession in any place of business any of the articles herein taxed, unless the same have the proper stamps attached;
     (j) For any person to make, use, or present or exhibit to the department of revenue or its duly authorized agent, any invoice for any of the articles herein taxed which bears an untrue date or falsely states the nature or quantity of the goods therein invoiced;
     (k) For any wholesaler or retailer or his or her agents or employees to fail to produce on demand of the department of revenue all invoices of all the articles herein taxed or stamps bought by him or her or received in his or her place of business within five years prior to such demand unless he or she can show by satisfactory proof that the nonproduction of the invoices was due to causes beyond his or her control;
     (l) For any person to receive in this state any shipment of any of the articles taxed herein, when the same are not stamped, for the purpose of avoiding payment of tax. It is presumed that persons other than dealers who purchase or receive shipments of unstamped cigarettes do so to avoid payment of the tax imposed herein;
     (m) For any person to possess or transport in this state a quantity of sixty thousand cigarettes or less unless the proper stamps required by this chapter have been affixed or unless: (i) Notice of the possession or transportation has been given as required by RCW 82.24.250; (ii) the person transporting the cigarettes has in actual possession invoices or delivery tickets which show the true name and address of the consignor or seller, the true name and address of the consignee or purchaser, and the quantity and brands of the cigarettes so transported; and (iii) the cigarettes are consigned to or purchased by any person in this state who is authorized by this chapter to possess unstamped cigarettes in this state;
     (n) To possess, sell, or transport within this state any container or package of cigarettes that does not comply with this chapter;
     (o) To fail to produce or allow inspection of books, documents, or records by the board or its agents as provided in section 1 of this act.
     (2) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess or to transport in this state a quantity in excess of sixty thousand cigarettes unless the proper stamps required by this chapter are affixed thereto or unless: (a) Proper notice as required by RCW 82.24.250 has been given; (b) the person transporting the cigarettes actually possesses invoices or delivery tickets showing the true name and address of the consignor or seller, the true name and address of the consignee or purchaser, and the quantity and brands of the cigarettes so transported; and (c) the cigarettes are consigned to or purchased by a person in this state who is authorized by this chapter to possess unstamped cigarettes in this state. Violation of this section shall be punished as a class C felony under Title 9A RCW.
     (3) All agents, employees, and others who aid, abet, or otherwise participate in any way in the violation of the provisions of this chapter or in any of the offenses described in this chapter shall be guilty and punishable as principals, to the same extent as any wholesaler or retailer or any other person violating this chapter.

Sec. 3   RCW 82.24.130 and 2003 c 114 s 7, 2003 c 113 s 4, and 2003 c 25 s 9 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The following are subject to seizure and forfeiture:
     (a) Subject to RCW 82.24.250, any articles taxed in this chapter that are found at any point within this state, which articles are held, owned, or possessed by any person, and that do not have the stamps affixed to the packages or containers; any container or package of cigarettes possessed or held for sale that does not comply with this chapter; and any container or package of cigarettes that is manufactured, sold, or possessed in violation of RCW 82.24.570.
     (b) All conveyances, including aircraft, vehicles, or vessels, which are used, or intended for use, to transport, or in any manner to facilitate the transportation, for the purpose of sale or receipt of property described in (a) of this subsection.
     (c) Subject to RCW 82.24.250, any articles taxed in this chapter that are found at any point within this state, which articles are held, owned, or possessed by any person failing to produce or allow inspection of books, documents, or records by the board or its agents as provided in section 1 of this act, except:
     (i) A conveyance used by any person as a common or contract carrier having in actual possession invoices or delivery tickets showing the true name and address of the consignor or seller, the true name of the consignee or purchaser, and the quantity and brands of the cigarettes transported, unless it appears that the owner or other person in charge of the conveyance is a consenting party or privy to a violation of this chapter;
     (ii) A conveyance subject to forfeiture under this section by reason of any act or omission of which the owner thereof establishes to have been committed or omitted without his or her knowledge or consent;
     (iii) A conveyance encumbered by a bona fide security interest if the secured party neither had knowledge of nor consented to the act or omission.
     (c) Any vending machine used for the purpose of violating the provisions of this chapter.
     (d) Any cigarettes that are stamped, sold, imported, or offered or possessed for sale in this state in violation of RCW 70.158.030(3). For the purposes of this subsection (1)(d), "cigarettes" has the meaning as provided in RCW 70.158.020(3).
     (e) All cigarettes sold, delivered, or attempted to be delivered in violation of RCW 70.155.105.
     (2) Property subject to forfeiture under this chapter may be seized by any agent of the department authorized to collect taxes, any enforcement officer of the board, or law enforcement officer of this state upon process issued by any superior court or district court having jurisdiction over the property. Seizure without process may be made if:
     (a) The seizure is incident to an arrest or a search under a search warrant or an inspection under an administrative inspection warrant; or
     (b) The department, the board, or the law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the property was used or is intended to be used in violation of this chapter and exigent circumstances exist making procurement of a search warrant impracticable.
     (3) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, articles taxed in this chapter which are in the possession of a wholesaler, licensed under Washington state law, for a period of time necessary to affix the stamps after receipt of the articles, shall not be considered contraband unless they are manufactured, sold, or possessed in violation of RCW 82.24.570.