SB 1495: Tied-house restrictions: for-profit cemeteries: City of Los Angeles.

Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the application, issuance, and suspension of alcoholic beverage licenses. Existing law, known as tied-house restrictions, generally prohibits specified licensees, or their officers, directors, or agents, from giving or lending money or a thing of value to a person operating, owning, or maintaining any on-sale premises where alcoholic beverages are sold. In this regard, existing law specifically prohibits paying a retailer for advertising. Existing law creates a variety of exceptions to this prohibition, as specified.

This bill would authorize certain licensees to sponsor events promoted by, and purchase advertising space or time from, an operator of a for-profit cemetery, subject to specified conditions, including that the for-profit cemetery be more than 100 years old and be located in, and designated, a Historic-Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles. The bill would require any sponsorship of events or purchase of advertising space or time to be conducted pursuant to a written agreement. The bill would make it a misdemeanor for certain licensees to induce, through coercion or other illegal means, the holder of a wholesalers license to fulfill contractual obligations, as specified, and for an on-sale licensee to solicit or coerce certain licensees to purchase advertising space or time, as specified. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for cemeteries more than 100 years old and located in, and designated, a Historic-Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.