The Maine Supreme Court ruled that Seneca Nation of Indians members doing business in Maine must acquire a state license to sell tobacco. Here is the opinion in Dept. of Health and Human Services v. Maybee. An excerpt:
Scott B. Maybee appeals from an order entered in the Superior Court (Kennebec County, Marden, J.) denying his motion for summary judgment and granting a summary judgment in favor of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Department brought a civil enforcement action pursuant to 22 M.R.S. § 1555-C(8 ) (2008 ) because Maybee failed to obtain a retail tobacco vendor license in violation of 22 M.R.S. § 1555-C(1) (2008 ). Maybee contends that because he conducts his tobacco delivery business from a location within the boundaries of an Indian reservation in New York State, the courts of Maine do not have subject matter jurisdiction, and the Maine vendor license requirement is preempted by federal law. Because subject matter jurisdiction exists and the Maine statute is not preempted, we affirm.