AB 445: Alcoholic beverages.

Existing law, 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. Existing law limits 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.

This bill would provide an exception to the limitation of on-sale general licenses described above by authorizing the issuance of up to 10 additional new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places in the County of Colusa. The bill would specify that a person holding a valid on-sale general license for seasonal business is not prohibited from applying for licenses to be issued pursuant to this authorization. The bill would prohibit transferring the new licenses out of the county or to a premises that does not qualify under these provisions. The bill would also prohibit selling or transferring the new licenses for a price greater than the original fee paid by the seller or transferor.

Existing law, until January 1, 2026, additionally authorizes a beer manufacturer to give, free of charge, up to 5 cases of retail advertising glassware to an on-sale retail licensee, per licensed location, each calendar year, and authorizes an on-sale retail licensee to accept, free of charge, up to 10 cases of retail advertising glassware, per licensed location, from licensed beer manufacturers each calendar year, subject to specified conditions.

This bill would extend operation of the authorization described above until January 1, 2029.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Colusa.