Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 3139 amends the Health and Safety Code to establish procedures and requirements for the sale of cigarettes ordered by phone, through the Internet, or by using the mail or another delivery service and the delivery of the cigarettes using the mail or another delivery service. The bill requires a person taking orders for the sale and delivery of cigarettes to verify the age of the purchaser, to provide to the purchaser disclosure statements that sales to underaged individuals are illegal sales and that cigarette sales are taxable, and to ship and deliver the product using a method that requires confirmation that the person who places the order for delivery or who signs to accept the delivery is at least 18 years of age. It requires a person who sells cigarettes for delivery to be registered with the comptroller, to collect and remit sales taxes to the comptroller, and to provide the comptroller with monthly reports on the purchaser and the brand and quantity of cigarettes sold. House Bill 3139 creates misdemeanor and felony offenses and establishes penalties for violations of these provisions.