§ 11-9-13.1. Cigarette and tobacco vending machines.
(a) No cigarettes, nor any other tobacco product, nor electronic nicotine-delivery system product shall be sold from any device or vending machine that is in an area not continuously supervised and in direct line of sight of an authorized person employed by the person, firm, or corporation that owns the business occupying the premises in which the device or vending machine is located, nor shall any tobacco product, nor electronic nicotine-delivery system product be sold from any device or vending machine that is in an area supervised by such an authorized person unless the device or vending machine is equipped with an electronic locking device that will not allow the device or vending machine to dispense a pack of cigarettes, or any other tobacco product, or electronic nicotine-delivery system product unless it is electronically unlocked from a secured position inaccessible to the public and under the supervision of an authorized person employed by the person, firm, or corporation that owns the business occupying the premises in which the device or vending machine is located. “Direct line of sight” means that the vending machine and the purchaser of cigarettes or electronic nicotine-delivery system product must be visible to the authorized person pressing the unlock button while the unlock button is being activated. Provided, a locking device shall not be required in an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic beverages that limits access to persons over the age of twenty-one (21) years.
(b) No cigarettes, nor any other tobacco product, nor electronic nicotine-delivery system product shall be sold from any device or vending machine from which non-tobacco products are sold.
(c) No cigarettes shall be sold in packs that contain less than twenty (20) cigarettes.
(d) Any person, firm, or corporation who or that owns a business occupying the premises in which a device or vending machine that dispenses cigarettes, or any other tobacco product or electronic nicotine-delivery system product is located who or that shall violate any of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall for the first offense be subject to a fine of seventy-five dollars ($75.00), for the second offense, be subject to a fine of one hundred fifty dollars ($150), and for the third and any subsequent offense, be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500); provided, that in the event that there are no offenses in three (3) successive years from the date of the last offense, then the next offense shall be treated as the first offense.
(e) Any person, firm, or corporation who or that shall violate subsection (c) of this section shall, for the first offense, be subject to a fine of seventy-five dollars ($75.00), for the second offense, be subject to a fine of one hundred fifty dollars ($150), and for the third and any subsequent offense, be subject to a fine of five hundred dollars ($500); provided, that in the event that there are no offenses in three (3) successive years from the date of the last offense, then the next offense shall be treated as the first offense.
(f) One-half (½) of all the fines collected pursuant to this section shall be transferred to the municipalities in which the citations originated. One-half (½) of all the fines collected pursuant to this section shall be transferred to the general fund.
(g) Severability. If any provision of this section or the application of it to any person or circumstance is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section, which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are declared to be severable.
History of Section.P.L. 1995, ch. 77, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 120, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 182, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 223, § 1.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Section 11-9-1. - Exploitation for commercial or immoral purposes.
Section 11-9-1.1. - Child nudity prohibited in publications.
Section 11-9-1.2. - Rebuttable presumption of minority upon testimony of physician.
Section 11-9-1.3. - Child pornography prohibited.
Section 11-9-1.5. - Electronically disseminating indecent material to minors prohibited.
Section 11-9-1.6. - Child erotica prohibited.
Section 11-9-2. - Employment of children for unlawful purposes.
Section 11-9-3. - Seizure and custody of exploited child — Proceedings as against neglected child.
Section 11-9-4. - Contributing to delinquency.
Section 11-9-5. - Cruelty to or neglect of child.
Section 11-9-5.1. - Investigation upon report of cruelty or neglect.
Section 11-9-5.2. - Immunity from liability.
Section 11-9-5.3. - Child abuse — Brendan’s Law.
Section 11-9-5.4. - Child endangerment.
Section 11-9-6. - Proceedings against parents of delinquent children unaffected.
Section 11-9-7. - Children’s Friend and Service excused from costs.
Section 11-9-8. - Appropriations for prevention of cruelty to children.
Section 11-9-9. - Powers of family court.
Section 11-9-10. - Abandonment of refrigerator in place accessible to children.
Section 11-9-11. - Designation of curfew streets.
Section 11-9-12. - Penalty for loitering on curfew street.
Section 11-9-13.1. - Cigarette and tobacco vending machines.
Section 11-9-13.2. - Short title.
Section 11-9-13.3. - Legislative intent — Purpose.
Section 11-9-13.4. - Definitions.
Section 11-9-13.5. - Responsibility for tobacco or health issues.
Section 11-9-13.7. - Signs concerning sales to individuals under age twenty-one (21).
Section 11-9-13.8. - Prohibitions applicable to license holders and their employees and agents.
Section 11-9-13.8.1. - Signs concerning the health effects of tobacco.
Section 11-9-13.9. - Multiple citations prohibited.
Section 11-9-13.12. - Enforcement and penalties — Citation for violation.
Section 11-9-13.13. - Nature and size of penalties.
Section 11-9-13.14. - Notification to the Department of Taxation of fines imposed.
Section 11-9-13.15. - Penalty for operating without a dealer license.
Section 11-9-13.16. - Rules and regulations.
Section 11-9-13.17. - Fines collected.
Section 11-9-13.18. - Prohibition on the sale or distribution of certain excise tax stamps.
Section 11-9-13.19. - Severability.
Section 11-9-13.20. - Packaging of electronic nicotine-delivery system liquid.
Section 11-9-14. - [Repealed.]
Section 11-9-14.1. - Compliance with federal statutes and regulations.
Section 11-9-15. - Tattooing of minors.
Section 11-9-16. - Plastic bags — Labeling.
Section 11-9-17. - Sterilization.
Section 11-9-18. - Care of babies born alive during attempted abortions.
Section 11-9-19. - Sale of spray paint to minors.
Section 11-9-19.1. - Possession of spray paint by a minor.
Section 11-9-20. - Sale of matches.
Section 11-9-21. - Prohibition of sale of certain dietary supplements to minors.