AB 471: Alcoholic beverages: licenses: new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places: neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages and the granting of licenses for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state. The act also provides for a limitation on the amount of on-sale general licenses that may be issued by the department based on the population of the county in which the licensed premises are located, as provided. Existing law provides an exception to this limitation for the County of Napa and authorizes the department to issue 5 additional new original on-sale general licenses per year for bona fide public eating places with a seating capacity for 25 or more diners, for a period of one year. Existing law, beginning January 1, 2017, also provides an exception to the license limitation for a county of the 6th class, as specified, for 5 new original neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses for premises located within specified census tracts in that county, subject to specified requirements. Existing law requires an applicant to, among other things, submit a signed verification by the local government body that states that the applicant has completed a required preapplication meeting regarding the issuance of the license.

This bill, beginning January 1, 2018, would provide for an exception to the limitation for the County of Napa and authorize the department to issue no more than 5 additional new original on-sale general licenses to bona fide public eating places per year with a seating capacity for 25 or more diners, for a period of 4 years.

This bill would revise the exception relating to a county of the 6th class by authorizing the department to issue 5 new original neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses, as specified, each year until a total of 30 of these licenses are issued and sets a limit to how many neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses may be issued per a census tract or tracts within that county. The bill would include additional restrictions as to who may apply for the license and would authorize, with regard to the signed verification described above, the verification to be signed by the designated subordinate officer or body of the local governing body.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Napa and for the City and County of San Francisco.