(a) If the Commissioner of Revenue Services finds, after a hearing, that a minor has purchased cigarettes or tobacco products, said commissioner shall assess such minor a civil penalty of not more than one hundred dollars for the first violation and not more than one hundred fifty dollars for any second or subsequent offense within twenty-four months after the first violation.

(b) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any person employed by a dealer or distributor, as defined in section 12-285, has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, said commissioner shall, for the first violation, require such person to successfully complete an online tobacco prevention education program administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services not later than thirty days after said commissioner's finding. Said commissioner shall assess any person who fails to complete such program a civil penalty of two hundred dollars. Said commissioner shall assess any person employed by a dealer or distributor a civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars for a second or subsequent violation within twenty-four months after the first violation.

(c) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any dealer or distributor has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, or such dealer or distributor's employee has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products to such minor, said commissioner shall require such dealer or distributor, for the first violation, to successfully complete an online tobacco prevention education program administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services not later than thirty days after said commissioner's finding. Said commissioner shall assess any dealer or distributor who fails to complete such program a civil penalty of three hundred dollars. Said commissioner shall assess any dealer or distributor a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars for a second violation within twenty-four months of the first violation. For a third violation within twenty-four months of the first violation, such dealer or distributor shall be assessed a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars and any license held by such dealer or distributor under this chapter shall be suspended for not less than thirty days.

(d) If said commissioner finds, after a hearing, that any owner of an establishment in which a cigarette vending machine or restricted cigarette vending machine is located has sold, given or delivered cigarettes or tobacco products from any such machine to a minor other than a minor who is delivering or accepting delivery in his capacity as an employee, or has allowed cigarettes or tobacco products to be sold, given or delivered to such minor from any such machine, said commissioner shall require such owner, for the first violation, to successfully complete an online tobacco prevention education program administered by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services not later than thirty days after said commissioner's finding. Said commissioner shall assess any owner who fails to complete such program a civil penalty of five hundred dollars. Said commissioner shall assess any owner a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars for a second violation within twenty-four months of the first violation. For a third violation within twenty-four months of the first violation, such owner shall be assessed a civil penalty of seven hundred fifty dollars and any such machine shall be immediately removed from such establishment and no such machine may be placed in such establishment for a period of one year following such removal.

(e) Any person aggrieved by any action of the commissioner pursuant to this section may take any appeal of such action as provided in sections 12-311 and 12-312.

(P.A. 96-240, S. 6, 10; P.A. 07-175, S. 1; P.A. 14-76, S. 2.)

History: P.A. 96-240 effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 07-175 raised amounts of civil penalties in Subsecs. (a) to (d) and made technical changes in Subsec. (d); P.A. 14-76 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re offense within 24 months after first violation, substantially amended civil penalty provisions in Subsecs. (b) to (d), including adding provisions re online tobacco prevention education program, and made technical changes.