Within six months following the effective date of this 1987 amendatory and supplementary act and not less than every two years thereafter, the director shall conduct a study of the cost of stamping cigarettes in New Jersey. The results of each study shall be transmitted to the Governor and to the Legislature and may serve as the basis for any further modifications of the stamping discount, except insofar as the director is empowered to administratively adjust the discount pursuant to section 401 of P.L. 1948, c. 65 (C. 54:40A-11). Except for adjustments made by the director, no further modification of the stamping discount shall be permitted until the first cost study required by this section is completed.

In conducting this study, the licensed cigarette distributors of the State of New Jersey shall provide the director access to their books and records so that the director has all information necessary to accurately calculate the distributors’ cost of stamping a unit of cigarettes. The distributors’ projected cost shall also be considered for the purposes of this study.

L. 1987, c. 37, s. 3.