Division of Administrative Hearings, Florida
Filed: Dec. 08, 2015
The issue in this case is whether Respondent, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (the “Department”), appropriately and correctly assessed the taxes owed by Petitioner, Global Hookah Distributors, Inc. (“Global Hookah”), on other tobacco products (“OTP”) for the period January 1, 2013, through June 30, 2013. Global Hookah also asserts as an issue in this case whether it has a “substantial nexus” with Florida such that the Department may assess and collect taxes under the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. See Art. I, § 9, U.S. Const. Unless otherwise stated herein, all references to Florida Statutes shall be to the 2016 codification.Petitioner proved that the tax assessment by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, was not correct.