As used in this Part, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings ascribed to them:

(1)  “Brand family” means all styles of cigarettes sold under the same trade mark and differentiated from one another by means of additional modifiers or descriptors, including but not limited to “menthol”, “lights”, “kings”, and “100s”, and includes any brand name (alone or in conjunction with any other word), trademark, logo, symbol, motto, selling message, recognizable pattern of colors, or any other indicia of product identification identical or similar to, or identifiable with, a previously known brand of cigarettes.

(2)  “Cigarette” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 13:5062 and La. Rev. Stat. 47:842.

(3)  “Commissioner” means the commissioner of alcohol and tobacco control.

(4)  “Days” means calendar days unless otherwise specified.

(5)  “Dealer” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 47:842.

(6)  “Importer” means any person in the United States to whom non-tax-paid cigarettes manufactured in a foreign country are shipped or consigned, any person who removes cigarettes for sale or consumption in the United States from a customs bonded manufacturing warehouse, and any person who smuggles or otherwise unlawfully brings cigarettes into the United States.

(7)  “Manufacturer” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 47:842.

(8)  “Master Settlement Agreement” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 13:5062.

(9)  “Nonparticipating manufacturer” means any tobacco product manufacturer that is not a participating manufacturer.

(10)  “Package” means any pack or other container on which a stamp could be applied consistent with and as required by La. Rev. Stat. 47:841 et seq., that contains one or more individual cigarettes for sale.  Nothing in this Chapter shall alter any other applicable requirement with respect to the minimum number of cigarettes that may be contained in a pack or other container of cigarettes.  References to “package” shall not include a container of multiple packages.

(11)  “Participating manufacturer” has the meaning given that term in section II (jj) of the Master Settlement Agreement and all amendments thereto.

(12)  “Person” means any natural person, trustee, company, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity.

(13)  “Purchase” means acquisition in any manner, for any consideration.  The term shall include transporting or receiving product in connection with a purchase.

(14)  “Qualified escrow fund” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 13:5062.

(15)  “Retailer” means “retail dealer” as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 26:901 and La. Rev. Stat. 47:842.

(16)  “Sale” or “sell” means any transfer, exchange, or barter in any manner or by any means for any consideration.  The term shall include distributing or shipping product in connection with a sale.  References to a sale “in” or “into” a state refer to the state of the destination point of the product in the sale, without regard to where title was transferred.  References to sale “from” a state refer to the sale of cigarettes that are located in that state to the destination in question without regard to where title was transferred.

(17)  “Sales Entity Affiliate” means an entity that sells cigarettes that it acquires directly from a manufacturer or importer and is affiliated with that manufacturer or importer as established by documentation received directly from that manufacturer or importer to the satisfaction of the attorney general.  Entities are affiliated with each other if one, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with the other.

(18)  “Secretary” means the head of the Department of Revenue, which is the agency responsible for collection of the excise tax on cigarettes.

(19)  “Stamping agent” means a dealer that is authorized to affix tax stamps to packages or other containers of cigarettes under La. Rev. Stat. 47:843 et seq. or any dealer that is required to pay the excise tax or tobacco tax imposed pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. 47:841 et seq. on cigarettes.

(20)  “State directory” or “directory” means the directory compiled by the attorney general under La. Rev. Stat. 13:5073, or, in the case of reference to another state’s directory, the directory compiled under the similar law in that other state.

(21)  “Tobacco product manufacturer” has the same meaning as provided in La. Rev. Stat. 13:5062.

(22)  “Units sold” has the same meaning as defined in La. Rev. Stat. 13:5062 and shall include (a) cigarettes that are required to be sold in a package bearing a stamp as well as (b) roll-your-own tobacco.

Acts 2004, No. 544, §1, eff. June 25, 2004; Acts 2013, No. 221, §1.