§45-13-245.20. Additional tax.

(a)(1) Upon adoption of a resolution by the Clarke County Commission, the county commission may impose on every person, firm, or corporation that sells, stores, delivers, uses, or otherwise consumes tobacco or tobacco products in Clarke County, a county privilege, license, or excise tax in the following amounts:

a. Five cents ($0.05) for each package of cigarettes made of tobacco or any substitute therefor.

b. Five cents ($0.05) for each package of cigars made of tobacco or any substitute therefor, including the cigarette-sized or near cigarette-sized cigars, but excluding single wrapped cigars.

c. Five cents ($0.05) for each sack, can, package, or other container of smoking tobacco, including granulated, plug cut, crimp cut, ready rubbed, and other kinds and forms of tobacco which are prepared in such manner suitable for smoking in a pipe or cigarette.

d. Five cents ($0.05) for each sack, plug, package, or other container of chewing tobacco, which tobacco is prepared in such manner suitable for chewing only and not suitable for smoking as described in paragraph c.

e. Five cents ($0.05) for each can, bottle, glass, tumbler, package, or other container of snuff made of tobacco or any substitute therefor.

f. Five cents ($0.05) for each package of tobacco paper, both gummed and ungummed.

g. Two cents ($0.02) on each single wrapped cigar made of tobacco or any substitute therefor.

(2) The privilege, license, or excise tax shall be in addition to all other taxes imposed by law and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes on tobacco, except that when the license tax required by this section has been paid by a wholesaler or seller of the products, that payment shall be sufficient. The legislative intent is that the tax shall be paid only once on each package of cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, cigars of every description, and smoking tobacco of every description, and for each package of tobacco paper, whether gummed or ungummed.

(b) Every person, firm, corporation, club, or association that sells, stores, or receives, for the purpose of selling or storing in Clarke County, any cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and smoking tobacco products shall add the amount of the license or privilege tax levied and assessed to the price of the cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and smoking tobacco products. It is the purpose and intent of this subsection that the tax levied is, in fact, a levy on the consumer with the person, firm, corporation, club, or association, that sells or stores or receives for the purpose of distributing the cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and smoking tobacco products, acting merely as an agent for the collection of the tax. The dealer, storer, or distributor shall state the amount of the tax separately from the price of the cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and smoking tobacco products, on all price display signs, sales or delivery slips, bills, and statements which advertise or indicate the price of the cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and smoking tobacco products.

(c)(1) It shall be unlawful for any dealer, storer, or distributor engaged in or continuing in the business in Clarke County for which the tax is levied to fail or refuse to add to the sales price and collect from the purchaser the amount due on account of the tax herein provided, to refund or offer to refund all or any part of the amount collected or absorb, or advertise directly or indirectly, the absorption of the tax or any portion thereof. Any person, firm, corporation, club, or association violating this subsection shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500). Each act in violation of this subsection shall constitute a separate offense.

(2) The State Department of Revenue or, as otherwise provided by resolution of the county commission, the Clarke County Tax Collector shall collect all taxes levied pursuant to this section at the same time and in the same manner as state tobacco taxes are collected.

(3) The tax levied herein shall be paid by affixing stamps that are required for the payment of the tax imposed by Sections 40-25-1 to 40-25-28, inclusive.

(4) The department shall have the same duties relative to the preparation and sale of stamps to evidence the payment of the tax that it has relative to the preparation and sale of stamps under Sections 40-25-1 to 40-25-28, inclusive. The department may exercise the same powers and perform the same duties in the same manner relative to the collection of the tax levied herein that it does relative to the collection of the state tax.

(5) In accordance with Section 40-25-2(q), in the event the aforementioned tobacco stamps are not available for affixing to tobacco product packages and containers, or by the authority of a duly promulgated regulation eliminating the requirement of affixing county tobacco stamps, the Commissioner of the Department of Revenue may require a monthly report in lieu of stamps to report the amount of tax due. The monthly report shall be in a form approved by the commissioner and adopted by the department under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 22, Title 41.

(6) The department may promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this section. All rules and regulations duly promulgated shall have the same force and effect of law.

(d) All laws, rules, and regulations of the department relating to the manner and time of payment of the tax levied by Sections 40-25-1 to 40-25-28, inclusive, requiring reports from dealers and prescribing penalties for violations shall apply with equal force to the tax levied by this section as provided for in this section.

(e) The proceeds from the tax authorized, less the amount or percentage of the actual cost of collection as may be agreed upon by the Commissioner of the Department of Revenue and the Clarke County Commission, shall be distributed to the Public Park and Recreation Board of Clarke County.

(f) This section shall not be construed to apply to cigarettes, cigars, snuff, smoking tobacco, and like tobacco products stored by a wholesale dealer for the purpose of resale or reshipment outside of the county which are actually resold or reshipped.

(Act 2003-281, p. 675, §§1-6.)