HOUSE AMENDED

 

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 64, 638, 996, 1208

PRINTER'S NO.  1862

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

81

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY EARLL AND FERLO, JANUARY 29, 2009

  

  

SENATE AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE AMENDMENTS, APRIL 19, 2010

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

1

Amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), entitled, as

2

reenacted, "An act relating to alcoholic liquors, alcohol and

3

malt and brewed beverages; amending, revising, consolidating

4

and changing the laws relating thereto; regulating and

5

restricting the manufacture, purchase, sale, possession,

6

consumption, importation, transportation, furnishing, holding

7

in bond, holding in storage, traffic in and use of alcoholic

8

liquors, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages and the

9

persons engaged or employed therein; defining the powers and

10

duties of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board; providing

11

for the establishment and operation of State liquor stores,

12

for the payment of certain license fees to the respective

13

municipalities and townships, for the abatement of certain

14

nuisances and, in certain cases, for search and seizure

15

without warrant; prescribing penalties and forfeitures;

16

providing for local option, and repealing existing laws,"

17

further defining for the definition of "eligible entity" and

18

adding definitions; further providing for general powers of

19

the board, for wine marketing and for Sunday retail sales by

20

Pennsylvania Liquor Stores; and, in licenses and regulations

21

relating to liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages,

22

further providing for interlocking businesses prohibited, for

23

number and kinds of licenses allowed same licensee, for

24

unlawful acts relative to liquor, malt and brewed beverages

25

and licenses issued and for limited wineries.

26

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

27

hereby enacts as follows:

28

Section 1.  The definition of "eligible entity" in section

29

102 of the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the

30

Liquor Code, reenacted and amended June 29, 1987 (P.L.32,

 


1

No.14), and amended November 29, 2006 (P.L.1421, No.155), is

2

amended and the section is amended by adding definitions to

3

read:

4

Section 102.  Definitions.--The following words or phrases,

5

unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, shall have the

6

meanings ascribed to them in this section:

7

* * *

8

"Eligible entity" shall mean a city of the third class, a

9

hospital, a church, a synagogue, a volunteer fire company, a

10

volunteer ambulance company, a volunteer rescue squad, a unit of

11

a nationally chartered club which has been issued a club liquor

12

license, a club in a city of the third class which has been

13

issued a club liquor license and which, as of December 31, 2002,

14

has been in existence for at least 100 years, a library, a

15

nationally accredited Pennsylvania nonprofit zoological

16

institution licensed by the United States Department of

17

Agriculture, a nonprofit agricultural association in existence

18

for at least ten years, a bona fide sportsmen's club in

19

existence for at least ten years, a nationally chartered

20

veterans' organization and any affiliated lodge or subdivision

21

of such organization, a fraternal benefit society that is

22

licensed to do business in this Commonwealth and any affiliated

23

lodge or subdivision of such fraternal benefit society, a museum

24

operated by a nonprofit corporation in a city of the third class

25

or township of the first class, a nonprofit corporation engaged

26

in the performing arts in a city of the third class, borough or

27

in an incorporated town, an arts council, a nonprofit

28

corporation that operates an arts facility or museum in a city

29

of the third class in the county of the fourth class, a

30

nonprofit organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the

- 2 -

 


1

Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. §

2

501(c)(3)) whose purpose is to protect the architectural

3

heritage of boroughs or a township of the second class and which

<--

4

has been recognized as such by a municipal resolution, a

5

nonprofit organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the

6

Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. §

7

501(c)(3)) conducting a regatta in a city of the second class

8

with the permit to be used on State park grounds or conducting a

9

family-oriented celebration as part of Welcome America in a city

10

of the first class on property leased from that city for more

11

than fifty years, a nonprofit organization as defined under

12

section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26

13

U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) whose purpose is to raise funds for the

14

research and treatment of cystic fibrosis, a nonprofit

15

organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal

16

Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) whose purpose is to

17

educate the public on issues dealing with watershed

18

conservation, a nonprofit organization as defined under section

19

501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Public Law

20

99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) whose purpose is to provide

21

equine assisted activities for children and adults with special

22

needs, a nonprofit economic development agency in a city of the

23

second class with the primary function to serve as an economic

24

generator for the greater southwestern Pennsylvania region by

25

attracting and supporting film, television and related media

26

industry projects and coordinating government and business

27

offices in support of a production, a county tourist promotion

28

agency as defined in section 3(1) of the act of April 28, 1961

29

(P.L.111, No.50), known as the "Tourist Promotion Law," and

30

located in a city of the third class in a county of the fourth

- 3 -

 


1

class or located in a township of the second class in a county

2

of the fifth class, a junior league in a third class county that

3

is a nonprofit organization as defined under section 501(c)(3)

4

of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3))

5

that is comprised of women whose purpose is exclusively

6

educational and charitable in promoting the volunteerism of

7

women and developing and participating in community projects and

8

that has been in existence for over seventy years, a nonprofit

9

organization as defined under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal

10

Code of 1986 which is located in counties of the second class A

11

and of the third class and whose purpose is the education and

12

promotion of American history [or], a nonprofit organization as

13

defined under section [501(C)(6)] 501(c)(6) of the Internal

14

Revenue Code of 1986 which is located in a city of the third

15

class in a county of the third class and whose purpose is to

16

support business and industry or a brewery which has been issued

17

a license to manufacture malt or brewed beverages and has been

18

in existence for at least 100 years.

19

* * *

20

"Satellite wine store" shall mean a wine kiosk operated by

21

the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, together with the space

22

in which it is located.

23

* * *

24

Section 2.  Section 207 of the act is amended by adding a

25

subsection to read:

26

Section 207.  General Powers of Board.--Under this act, the

27

board shall have the power and its duty shall be:

28

* * *

29

(l)  To establish and implement a customer relations

30

marketing program for the purpose of offering incentives, such

- 4 -

 


1

as coupons or discounts on certain products, to customers of the

2

board.

3

Section 3.  Section 215 of the act, amended December 30, 2003

4

(P.L.423, No.59), is amended to read:

5

Section 215.  Wine and Spirits Marketing.--

6

(e)  The board is authorized to participate in or sponsor

7

wine and spirits events for the purpose of educating consumers

8

as to the wines and spirits available in this Commonwealth. The

9

wine and spirits to be used for the event may be acquired

10

through the State store system or may be donated from outside

11

this Commonwealth. Participation in the tastings may be

12

conditioned on the purchase of a ticket to the event. The event

13

may include events occurring on premises licensed by the board,

14

and the board may sell wine and spirits for off-premises

15

consumption in an area designated by the board for such sale.

16

Section 3.1.  Section 301 of the act, amended July 9, 1976

<--

17

(P.L.527, No.125), is amended to read:

18

Section 301.  Board to Establish State Liquor Stores.--(a)  

19

The board shall establish, operate and maintain at such places

20

throughout the Commonwealth as it shall deem essential and

21

advisable, stores to be known as "Pennsylvania Liquor Stores,"

22

for the sale of liquor and alcohol in accordance with the

23

provisions of and the regulations made under this act; except

24

that no store not so already located shall be located within

25

three hundred feet of any elementary or secondary school, nor 

26

shall any store not so already located be located within a dry

<--

27

municipality without there first having been a referendum

28

approving such location, nor shall any such store have an

<--

29

interior connection or interior passageway with an establishment

30

that allows its patrons to bring their own liquor or alcohol for

- 5 -

 


1

consumption on the premises whether or not the establishment

2

possesses a license issued by the board, nor shall any store not

<--

3

so already located have an interior connection with another

4

business, unless the other business has a policy that prohibits

5

the consumption of alcohol on the premises or portions of the

6

premises that are not licensed by the board. Any store which

7

currently has an interior connection with another business that

8

allows the consumption of alcohol on the premises or portions of

9

the premises that are not licensed by the board must cease

10

operating upon expiration of the current lease or by January 31,

11

2015, whichever occurs first, unless the other business ceases

12

the policy of allowing consumption of alcohol on the premises or

13

portions of the premises that are not licensed by the board; any

14

store which has an interior connection with another business

15

which had a policy that prohibited the consumption of alcohol on

16

the premises or portions of the premises that are not licensed

17

by the board must be relocated at the end of the lease term if

18

the other business subsequently changes its policy or fails to

19

enforce its policy. When the board shall have determined upon

20

the location of a liquor store in any municipality, it shall

21

give notice of such location by public advertisement in two

22

newspapers of general circulation. In cities of the first class,

23

the location shall also be posted for a period of at least

24

fifteen days following its determination by the board as

25

required in section 403(g) of this act. The notice shall be

26

posted in a conspicuous place on the outside of the premises in

27

which the proposed store is to operate or, in the event that a

28

new structure is to be built in a similarly visible location.

29

If, within five days after the appearance of such advertisement,

30

or of the last day upon which the notice was posted, fifteen or

- 6 -

 


1

more taxpayers residing within a quarter of a mile of such

2

location, or the City Solicitor of the city of the first class,

3

shall file a protest with the court of common pleas of the

4

county averring that the location is objectionable because of

5

its proximity to a church, a school, or to private residences,

6

the court shall forthwith hold a hearing affording an

7

opportunity to the protestants and to the board to present

8

evidence. The court shall render its decision immediately upon

9

the conclusion of the testimony and from the decision there

10

shall be no appeal. If the court shall determine that the

11

proposed location is undesirable for the reasons set forth in

12

the protest, the board shall abandon it and find another

13

location. The board may establish, operate and maintain such

14

establishments for storing and testing liquors as it shall deem

15

expedient to carry out its powers and duties under this act.

16

(b)  The board may lease the necessary premises for such

17

stores or establishments, but all such leases shall be made

18

through the Department of General Services as agent of the

19

board. The board, through the Department of General Services,

20

shall have authority to purchase such equipment and appointments

21

as may be required in the operation of such stores or

22

establishments.

23

Section 4.  Section 304 of the act, amended December 8, 2004

24

(P.L.1810, No.239), is amended to read:

25

Section 304.  When Sales May Be Made at Pennsylvania Liquor

26

Stores.--(a)  Except as provided for in subsection (b), every

27

Pennsylvania Liquor Store shall be open for business week days,

28

except holidays as that term is defined in section 102. The

29

board may, with the approval of the Governor, temporarily close

30

any store in any municipality.

- 7 -

 


1

(b)  Certain Pennsylvania Liquor Stores operated by the board

2

shall be open for Sunday retail sales between the hours of noon

3

and five o'clock postmeridian, except that no Sunday sales shall

4

occur on Easter Sunday or Christmas day. The board shall open up

5

to twenty-five per centum of the total number of Pennsylvania

6

Liquor Stores at its discretion for Sunday sales as provided for

7

in this subsection. The twenty-five per centum limitation shall

8

not apply to the board's operation of satellite wine kiosks. The

9

board shall submit yearly reports to the Appropriations and the

10

Law and Justice Committees of the Senate and the Appropriations

11

and the Liquor Control Committees of the House of

12

Representatives summarizing the total dollar value of sales

13

under this section.

14

Section 5.  Sections 411(e) and 438(c) of the act are amended

15

to read:

16

Section 411.  Interlocking Business Prohibited.--* * *

17

(e)  Except as herein provided, no hotel, restaurant, retail

18

dispenser or club licensee, and no officer, director or

19

stockholder, agent or employe of any such licensee shall in any

20

wise be interested, directly or indirectly, in the ownership or

21

leasehold of any property or the equipment of any property or

22

any mortgage lien against the same, used by a distributor,

23

importing distributor, or by an importer or sacramental wine

24

licensee, in the conduct of his business; nor shall any hotel,

25

restaurant, retail dispenser or club licensee, or any officer,

26

director, stockholder, agent or employe of any such licensee,

27

either directly or indirectly, lend any moneys, credit, or give

28

anything of value or the equivalent thereof, to any distributor,

29

importing distributor, importer or sacramental wine licensee,

30

for equipping, fitting out, or maintaining and conducting,

- 8 -

 


1

either in whole or in part, an establishment used in the conduct

2

of his business.

3

The purpose of this section is to require a separation of the

4

financial and business interests between manufacturers and

5

holders of hotel or restaurant liquor licenses and, as herein

6

provided, of club licenses, issued under this article, and no

7

person shall, by any device whatsoever, directly or indirectly,

8

evade the provisions of the section. But in view of existing

9

economic conditions, nothing contained in this section shall be

10

construed to prohibit the ownership of property or conflicting

11

interest by a manufacturer of any place occupied by a licensee

12

under this article after the manufacturer has continuously owned

13

and had a conflicting interest in such place for a period of at

14

least five years prior to July eighteenth, one thousand nine

15

hundred thirty-five: Provided, however, That this clause shall

16

not prohibit any hotel, restaurant or club liquor licensee from

17

owning land which is leased to, and the buildings thereon owned

18

by, a holder of a retail dispenser's license; and nothing in

19

this clause shall prevent the issuance of a retail dispenser's

20

license to a lessee of such lands who owns the buildings

21

thereon: And, provided further, That nothing contained in this

22

section shall be construed to prohibit any hotel, restaurant,

23

retail dispenser or club licensee or any officer, director or

24

stockholder, agent or employe of any such licensee from having a

25

financial or other interest, directly or indirectly in the

26

ownership or leasehold of any property or the equipment of any

27

property or any mortgage lien against same, used, leased by an

28

importer or sacramental wine licensee for the exclusive purpose

29

of maintaining commercial offices and on the condition that said

30

property is not used for the storage or sale of liquor or malt

- 9 -

 


1

or brewed beverages in any quantity[.]: And, provided further,

2

That nothing contained in this section shall be construed to

3

prohibit a member of the governing board of a public authority

4

created under subdivision (n) of Article XXIII of the act of

5

August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as "The County Code,"

6

from having an interest in a distributor or importing

7

distributor license notwithstanding the fact that the public

8

authority has an interest in one or more retail licenses or acts

9

as a landlord for one or more retail licenses: And, provided

10

further, That notwithstanding any other provision of this

11

section, an entity may acquire both a manufacturer's license or

12

a limited winery license and a hotel, restaurant or retail

13

dispenser license for use at the same location and more than one

14

location may be so licensed. The licenses and a person's

15

interest in the licenses or in the entity holding the licenses

16

shall not be subject to this section.

17

Section 438.  Number and Kinds of Licenses Allowed Same

18

Licensee.--* * *

19

(c)  No person shall possess more than one class of license,

20

except that a holder of a retail dispenser's license may also be

21

a holder of a retail liquor license[.]: Provided, however, That

22

nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit

23

a member of the governing board of a public authority created

24

under subdivision (n) of Article XXIII of the act of August 9,

25

1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as "The County Code," from having

26

an interest in a distributor or importing distributor license

27

notwithstanding the fact that the public authority has an

28

interest in one or more retail licenses or acts as a landlord

29

for one or more retail licenses: And, provided further, That

30

notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an entity

- 10 -

 


1

may acquire both a manufacturer's license or a limited winery

2

license and a hotel, restaurant or retail dispenser license for

3

use at the same location and more than one location may be so

4

licensed. The licenses and a person's interest in the licenses

5

or in the entity holding the licenses shall not be subject to

6

this section.

7

Section 6.  Section 443(g) of the act, amended May 31, 1996

8

(P.L.312, No.49), is amended to read:

9

Section 443.  Interlocking Business Prohibited.--* * *

10

(g)  The purpose of this section is to require a separation

11

of the financial and business interests between the various

12

classes of business regulated by subdivision (B) of this

13

article, and no person or corporation shall, by any device

14

whatsoever, directly or indirectly, evade the provisions of this

15

section. But in view of existing economic conditions, nothing

16

contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit the

17

ownership of property or conflicting interest by a malt or

18

brewed beverage manufacturer of any place occupied by a

19

distributor, importing distributor or retail dispenser after the

20

manufacturer has continuously owned and had a conflicting

21

interest in such place for a period of at least five years prior

22

to the eighteenth day of July, one thousand nine hundred thirty-

23

five: Provided, however, That a holder of a manufacturer's

24

license under section 431(a) who is eligible to operate a

25

brewery pub under section 446(2) or a limited winery as provided

26

for under section 505.2 may also hold and operate under a hotel

27

liquor license, a restaurant liquor license or a malt and brewed

28

beverages retail license on the manufacturer's or limited

29

winery's licensed premises. The hotel liquor license or

30

restaurant liquor license or the malt and brewed beverages

- 11 -

 


1

retail license shall be acquired by the manufacturer or limited

2

winery subject to section 461 and shall satisfy all requirements

3

for each respective license[.]: And, provided further, That

4

nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit

5

a member of the governing board of a public authority created

6

under subdivision (n) of Article XXIII of the act of August 9,

7

1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as "The County Code," from having

8

an interest in a distributor or importing distributor license

9

notwithstanding the fact that the public authority has an

10

interest in one or more retail licenses or acts as a landlord

11

for one or more retail licenses.

12

The term "manufacturer" as used in this section shall include

13

manufacturers of malt or brewed beverages as defined in this act

14

and any person manufacturing any malt or brewed beverages

15

outside of this Commonwealth.

16

Section 7.  Section 493(24)(ii) of the act, amended November

17

29, 2006 (P.L.1421, No.155), is amended to read:

18

Section 493.  Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor, Malt and

19

Brewed Beverages and Licensees.--The term "licensee," when used

20

in this section, shall mean those persons licensed under the

21

provisions of Article IV, unless the context clearly indicates

22

otherwise.

23

It shall be unlawful--

24

* * *

25

(24)  * * *

26

(ii)  Notwithstanding subclause (i) or any other provision of

27

law, a holder of a restaurant license that is also approved to

28

hold a slot machine license or a conditional slot machine

29

license under 4 Pa.C.S. Part II (relating to gaming) may give

30

liquor and malt or brewed beverages free of charge to any person

- 12 -

 


1

actively engaged in playing a slot machine.

2

(iii)  Notwithstanding subclause (i) or any other provision

3

of law, the board may establish and implement a customer

4

relations marketing program for the purpose of offering

5

incentives, such as coupons or discounts on certain products

6

which may be conditioned upon the purchase of liquor, to

7

customers of the board.

8

* * *

9

Section 8.  Section 505 of the act, amended December 21, 1998

10

(P.L.1202, No.155), is amended to read:

11

Section 505.  Licenses Issued.--Upon receipt of the

12

application in the form herein provided and the proper fees, the

13

board may grant to such applicant a license to engage in, (a)

14

the operation of a limited winery or a winery; or, (b) the

15

manufacturing, producing, distilling, developing, or using in

16

the process of manufacturing, denaturing, redistilling,

17

recovering, rectifying, blending and reusing of alcohol and

18

liquor; or, (c) the holding in bond of alcohol and liquor; or,

19

(d) the holding in storage, as bailee for hire, of alcohol,

20

liquor and malt or brewed beverages; or, (e) the transporting

21

for hire of alcohol, liquor and malt or brewed beverages. Such

22

licenses may be transferred from one person to another or from

23

one location to another, or both. Every applicant for a transfer

24

of such licenses shall file a written application with the

25

board, together with a filing fee of five hundred fifty dollars

26

($550) if the transfer is to a new location, six hundred fifty

27

dollars ($650) if the transfer is to a new person, or seven

28

hundred dollars ($700) if the transfer is to a new person for

29

use at a new location. Whenever such a license is transferred,

30

no license or other fees shall be required from the persons to

- 13 -

 


1

whom such transfer is made for the portion of the license period

2

for which the license fee has been paid by the transferor.

3

Section 9.  Section 505.2(a) of the act is amended by adding

4

a clause to read:

5

Section 505.2.  Limited Wineries.--(a)  In the interest of

6

promoting tourism and recreational development in Pennsylvania,

7

holders of a limited winery license may:

8

* * *

9

(6.4)  Store alcoholic cider, wine and wine coolers produced

10

by the limited winery at no more than two (2) board-approved

11

locations other than the licensed premises and those premises

12

referenced in clause (3) pertaining to the five (5) board-

13

approved locations for the sale of wine, with no bottling or

14

production requirement at those additional locations and under

15

such conditions and regulations as the board may enforce. If two

16

(2) or more businesses will operate out of the same storage

17

facility, the limited winery must designate specific and

18

distinct areas for its storage. The limited winery's designated

19

storage area must be secured and no one other than the licensee

20

and his employees may be allowed access to the storage area. No

21

board-approved manager will be necessary for the storage

22

facility. The limited winery must fill out an application for

23

such an additional board-approved storage location, and such

24

location shall count as one of the two permitted for each

25

limited winery. The limited winery is responsible for keeping

26

only its own complete records. A limited winery may be cited for

27

a violation of the recordkeeping requirements of sections 512

28

and 513 pertaining to its own records only.

29

* * *

30

Section 10.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

- 14 -