HB 2257 -- Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act

Sponsor:  Bruns

This bill establishes the Fire Safety Standard and Firegighte3r
Protection Act which prohibits the sale of any cigarette in this
state that  has not been tested, certified, and marked that it
has met certain performance standards.  Any manufacturer,
wholesale dealer, retail dealer, agent, or other person or entity
who violates this requirement may be fined up to $100 per pack of
cigarettes sold or offered for sale.  No penalty against a
manufacturer, wholesale dealer, or agent can exceed $100,000, and
no penalty against a retail dealer can exceed $25,000.  Any
corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited
partnership, or association engaged in the manufacture of
cigarettes that knowingly makes a false certification will be
subject to a penalty of between $75,000 and $250,000.

Performance standard tests will be conducted in accordance with
the Standard Test Method for Measuring the Ignition Strength of
Cigarettes of the American Society of Testing and Materials
unless the State Fire Marshal determines that it is impossible
for the cigarette manufacturer to use this test method.  Each
manufacturer must pay a $1,000 fee for each brand family of
cigarettes listed in the certification to be deposited into the
Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act Enforcement
Fund.  The fund will be administered by the State Fire Marshal
and used solely to support processing, testing, enforcement, and
oversight activities involved with the implementation of the
provisions of the bill.

The bill becomes effective July 31, 2009.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated March 11, 2008 at 11:10 am