Agenda - Council - 11/10/1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I Page 6 Chapter ! State Tobacco Laws ahd Regulations CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS · Ail retailers who sell tobacco products must be licensed · Communities must comply with the new law's minimum standards · Jurisdictions will need to cooperate and collabo~te · Ordinances must set an administrative penalty system, a system for compliance checks, and restrict vending machine sales and self-service sales The Minnesota youth access law, effective August 1, 1997, requires licensing of all retailers who sell tobacco or tobacco products. Counties must implement a licensing system for retailers if cities or townships do not have, or adopt, an ordinance that complies with at least the minimum standards set by the state law. Local governments need to adopt a licensing ordinance after August 1, 1997. Since developing and adopting licensing ordinances can take time, it is likely many cities, townships and counties will adopt their ordinances in early 1998. Jurisdictions will need to cooperate and collaborate in enacting youth access ordinances. For example, if a city or township acts after a county license has been issued, it is best to coordinate the licensing schedule with the county to avoid double licensing~ Likewise, counties may wish to coordinate the effective date of their new licensing requiremerits with the expiration of any pre-existing but non-conforming city or township license. Under the state law', a retailer holding a city or township license is not required to obtain a county tobacco license. However, the law is silent as to requiring the local license after the county license has been paid for. Duplicate licensing should be avoided.