Governor Brad Henry to offers tobacco enforcement proposals

Monday, December 12th 2005, 5:01 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Governor Brad Henry says he will ask the 2005 Oklahoma Legislature to approve new enforcement tools to stop tobacco wholesalers and tribal smoke shops from circumventing the law.

Henry's proposals are aimed curtailing the sale of cigarettes carrying 6-cent tax stamps intended only for smoke shops in border counties, where competition with other states is an issue.

Henry said the Tax Commission's enforcement tools are outdated and insufficient to regulate the tobacco industry.

Henry has drawn criticism from some Republican lawmakers who say non-tribal businesses, especially in the Tulsa area, are losing money because of loopholes in tobacco compacts between the state and some tribes.