Section 196.1026 - Nonresident or foreign nonparticipating manufacturers, requirements1. Any nonresident or foreign nonparticipating manufacturer not registered to do business in this state as a foreign corporation or business entity shall, as a condition precedent to having its brand families listed or retained in the directory, appoint, and continually engage without interruption the services of an agent in this state to act as agent for the service of process on whom all process shall be served, and any action or proceeding against it concerning, or arising out of, the enforcement of sections 196.1003 and 196.1020 to 196.1035 may be served in any manner authorized by law. Such service shall constitute legal and valid service of process on the nonparticipating manufacturer. The nonparticipating manufacturer shall provide the name, address, phone number, and proof of the appointment and availability of such agent to the satisfaction of the director.2. The nonparticipating manufacturer shall provide notice to the director thirty calendar days prior to termination of the authority of an agent and shall further provide proof, to the satisfaction of the director, of the appointment of a new agent no less than five calendar days prior to the termination of an existing agent appointment. In the event an agent terminates an agency appointment, the nonparticipating manufacturer shall notify the director of the termination within five calendar days and shall include proof, to the satisfaction of the director, of the appointment of a new agent.3. Any nonparticipating manufacturer whose cigarettes are sold in this state and who has not appointed and engaged an agent as herein required shall be deemed to have appointed the secretary of state as such agent and may be proceeded against in courts of this state by service of process upon the secretary of state. However, the appointment of the secretary of state as such agent shall not satisfy the condition precedent for having the brand families of the nonparticipating manufacturer included, or retained, in the directory. L. 2010S.B. 884
Effective 7/7/2010