Current law provides that the state's Attorney General may impose a civil penalty on a person that violates subsection (a) of GS 66-293, which prohibits the sale or delivery of cigarettes that belong to a brand family of a nonparticipating manufacturer if the sale of the cigarettes is subject to taxes unless the cigarettes are included on the compliant nonparticipating manufacturer's list produced and publicized by the Attorney General's office under GS 66-294.1 as of the date the cigarettes are delivered or sold.

Amends GS 66-293(a)to provide that it is not a violation of this subsection if the brand family was on the compliant nonparticipating manufacturer's list when the cigarettes were purchased and the person sold or delivered the cigarettes within 30 days (was, 60 days) of the purchase.