HB1619 Summary

• Designates the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board as a law enforcement agency for the Unfair Cigarette Sales Act and amends cigarette testing requirements to 36-month intervals under the Cigarette Fire Safety Standard Act.

• Makes the Arkansas Tobacco Control Board rulemaking discretionary ("may" instead of "shall") and changes references from "the board" to "Arkansas Tobacco Control" throughout the tobacco tax statutes to clarify the Director's role.

• Adds "Dealer's License" definition for entities representing manufacturers to promote products in Arkansas and changes "tobacco products vending machine" from coin-operated to any vending machine selling tobacco products.

• Establishes detailed permit and license transfer procedures, including 30-day transition periods for new owners and requirements for notification of ownership changes, with permits becoming void upon certain personnel changes in partnerships, LLCs, and corporations.

• Requires Arkansas Tobacco Control to conduct criminal background checks on permit applicants and prohibits licenses to persons convicted of felonies; specifies fines for record-keeping violations ranging from $100 to $1,000 with license suspension or revocation for repeat offenders.