Chapter 254

254.916(2)(b) (b) The person is directly supervised during the conducting of the investigation by an adult employee of a governmental regulatory authority.

254.916(2)(c) (c) The person has prior written authorization to commit the act from a governmental regulatory authority or a district attorney or from an authorized agent of a governmental regulatory authority or a district attorney.

254.916(3) (3) All of the following, unless otherwise specified, apply in conducting investigations under this section:

254.916(3)(a) (a) If questioned about his or her age during the course of an investigation, the minor shall state his or her true age.

254.916(3)(b) (b) A minor may not be used for the purposes of an investigation at a retail outlet at which the minor is a regular customer.

254.916(3)(c) (c) The appearance of a minor may not be materially altered so as to indicate greater age.

254.916(3)(d) (d) A photograph or videotape of the minor shall be made before or after the investigation or series of investigations on the day of the investigation or series of investigations. If a prosecution results from an investigation, the photograph or videotape shall be retained until the final disposition of the case.

254.916(3)(e) (e) A governmental regulatory authority shall make a good faith effort to make known to the retailer or the retailer’s employee or agent, within 72 hours after the occurrence of the violation, the results of an investigation, including the issuance of any citation by a governmental regulatory authority for a violation that occurs during the conduct of the investigation. This paragraph does not apply to investigations conducted under a grant received under 42 USC 300x-21.

254.916(3)(f) (f) Except with respect to investigations conducted under a grant received under 42 USC 300x-21, all of the following information shall be reported to the retailer within 10 days after the conduct of an investigation under this section:

254.916(3)(f)1. 1. The name and position of the governmental regulatory authority employee who directly supervised the investigation.

254.916(3)(f)2. 2. The age of the minor.

254.916(3)(f)3. 3. The date and time of the investigation.

254.916(3)(f)4. 4. A reasonably detailed description of the circumstances giving rise to a violation, if any, or, if there is no violation, written notice to that effect.

254.916(5) (5) No evidence obtained during or otherwise arising from the course of an investigation under this section that is used to prosecute a person for a violation of s. 134.66 (2) (a) or (am) or a local ordinance adopted under s. 134.66 (5) may be used in the prosecution of an alleged violation of s. 125.07 (3).

254.916(6) (6) The department shall compile the results of investigations performed under this section and shall prepare an annual report that reflects the results for submission with the state’s application for federal funds under 42 USC 300x-21. The report shall be published for public comment at least 60 days before the beginning of negotiations under sub. (7).

254.916(7) (7) The department shall strive annually to negotiate with the federal department of health and human services realistic and attainable interim performance targets for compliance with 42 USC 300x-26.

254.916(8) (8) A governmental regulatory agency that conducts an investigation under this section shall meet the requirements of sub. (3) (a) to (f) and the standards established by the department.

254.916(9) (9) The department shall provide education and training to governmental regulatory authorities to ensure uniformity in the enforcement of this subchapter.

254.916(10) (10) This section does not limit the authority of the department to investigate establishments in jurisdictional areas of governmental regulatory authorities if the department investigates in response to an emergency, for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the governmental regulatory authority’s investigation and enforcement program or at the request of the governmental regulatory authority.

254.916(11) (11) A person conducting an investigation under this section may not have a financial interest in a regulated cigarette and tobacco product retailer, a tobacco vending machine operator, a tobacco vending machine premises, or a tobacco vending machine that may interfere with his or her ability to properly conduct that investigation. A person who is investigated under this section may request the local health department or local law enforcement agency that contracted for the investigation to conduct a review under ch. 68 to determine whether the person conducting the investigation is in compliance with this subsection or, if applicable, may request the state agency or state law enforcement agency that contracted for the investigation to conduct a contested case hearing under ch. 227 to make that determination. The results of an investigation that is conducted by a person who is not in compliance with this subsection may not be used to prosecute a violation of s. 134.66 (2) (a) or (am) or a local ordinance adopted under s. 134.66 (5).

254.916 History History: 1999 a. 9, 84, 185; 2001 a. 75; 2011 a. 249.

254.92 254.92 Purchase or possession of cigarettes or tobacco products by person under 18 prohibited.

254.92(1) (1) No person under 18 years of age may falsely represent his or her age for the purpose of receiving any cigarette, nicotine product, or tobacco product.

254.92(2) (2) No person under 18 years of age may purchase, attempt to purchase, or possess any cigarette, nicotine product, or tobacco product except as follows:

254.92(2)(a) (a) A person under 18 years of age may purchase or possess cigarettes, nicotine products, or tobacco products for the sole purpose of resale in the course of employment during his or her working hours if employed by a retailer.

254.92(2)(b) (b) A person under 18 years of age, but not under 15 years of age, may purchase, attempt to purchase or possess cigarettes, nicotine products, or tobacco products in the course of his or her participation in an investigation under s. 254.916 that is conducted in accordance with s. 254.916 (3).

254.92(2m) (2m) No person may purchase cigarettes, tobacco products, or nicotine products on behalf of, or to provide to, any person who is under 18 years of age. Any person who violates this subsection may be:

254.92(2m)(a) (a) Required to forfeit not more than $500 if the person has not committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.

254.92(2m)(b) (b) Fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both if the person has committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.

254.92(2m)(c) (c) Fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both if the person has committed 2 previous violations within 30 months of the violation.

254.92(2m)(d) (d) Fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both if the person has committed 3 or more previous violations within 30 months of the violation.

254.92(3) (3) A law enforcement officer shall seize any cigarette, nicotine product, or tobacco product that has been sold to and is in the possession of a person under 18 years of age.

254.92(4) (4) A county, town, village, or city may enact an ordinance regulating the conduct regulated by this section only if the ordinance strictly conforms to this section. A county ordinance enacted under this subsection does not apply within a town, village, or city that has enacted or enacts an ordinance under this subsection.

254.92 History History: 1987 a. 336; 1991 a. 32, 95, 315; 1995 a. 352, s. 20; Stats. 1995 s. 938.983; 1999 a. 9 ss. 2485L, 3176m, 3176p to 3176s; 2001 a. 75; 2005 a. 25; 2011 a. 249.

254.92 Annotation The state regulatory scheme for tobacco sales preempts municipalities from adopting regulations that are not in strict conformity with those of the state. U.S. Oil, Inc. v. City of Fond du Lac, 199 Wis. 2d 333, 544 N.W.2d 589 (Ct. App. 1995), 95-0213.