Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §1556-A, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Certain enforcement actions prohibited.__The State may not use juveniles in conducting any enforcement actions under this chapter.

Sec. 2. Tobacco enforcement options; alternative plan. The Commissioner of Human Services; the Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; the Commissioner of Public Safety; and the Attorney General shall, working jointly, develop and implement alternative tobacco enforcement strategies, consistent with the intent of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 262-A and related federal regulations, that would maintain a strong enforcement presence exclusive of using juveniles in specific enforcement actions. The commissioners and the Attorney General shall seek input from those joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over tobacco enforcement issues.

SUMMARY

This bill precludes the State from using juveniles in any tobacco enforcement action. It directs the Commissioner of Human Services; the Commissioner of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services; the Commissioner of Public Safety; and the Attorney General to jointly develop and implement alternative tobacco enforcement strategies, exclusive of using juveniles for enforcement actions.