HOUSE AMENDED

 

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 64, 638, 996

PRINTER'S NO.  1208

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

81

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY EARLL AND FERLO, JANUARY 29, 2009

  

  

AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, JUNE 23, 2009   

  

  

  

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 and, 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

 


1

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

2

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

3

amended and the section is amended by adding definitions to

4

read:

5

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

6

unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, shall have the

7

meanings ascribed to them in this section:

8

* * *

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

a nationally chartered club which has been issued a club liquor

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

nationally accredited Pennsylvania nonprofit zoological

17

institution licensed by the United States Department of

18

Agriculture, a nonprofit agricultural association in existence

19

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

20

existence for at least ten years, a nationally chartered

21

veterans' organization and any affiliated lodge or subdivision

22

of such organization, a fraternal benefit society that is

23

licensed to do business in this Commonwealth and any affiliated

24

lodge or subdivision of such fraternal benefit society, a museum

25

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

26

or township of the first class, a nonprofit corporation engaged

27

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

28

in an incorporated town, an arts council, a nonprofit

29

corporation that operates an arts facility or museum in a city

30

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

- 2 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

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

4

heritage of boroughs and which has been recognized as such by a

5

municipal resolution, a nonprofit organization as defined under

6

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

7

Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)) conducting a regatta in a

8

city of the second class with the permit to be used on State

9

park grounds or conducting a family-oriented celebration as part

10

of Welcome America in a city of the first class on property

11

leased from that city for more than fifty years, a nonprofit

12

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

13

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

14

raise funds for the research and treatment of cystic fibrosis, a

15

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

16

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

17

purpose is to educate the public on issues dealing with

18

watershed conservation, a nonprofit organization as defined

19

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

20

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

21

provide equine assisted activities for children and adults with

22

special needs, a nonprofit economic development agency in a city

23

of the second class with the primary function to serve as an

24

economic generator for the greater southwestern Pennsylvania

25

region by attracting and supporting film, television and related

26

media 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 is amended to read:

<--

17

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

18

The board shall establish, operate and maintain at such places

19

throughout the Commonwealth as it shall deem essential and

20

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

21

for the sale of liquor and alcohol in accordance with the

22

provisions of and the regulations made under this act; except

23

that no store not so already located shall be located within

24

three hundred feet of any elementary or secondary school, nor

25

within a dry municipality without there first having been a

26

referendum approving such location, nor shall any such store

27

have an interior connection or interior passageway with an

28

establishment that allows its patrons to bring their own liquor

29

or alcohol for consumption on the premises whether or not the

30

establishment possesses a license issued by the board. When the

- 5 -

 


1

board shall have determined upon the location of a liquor store

2

in any municipality, it shall give notice of such location by

3

public advertisement in two newspapers of general circulation.

4

In cities of the first class, the location shall also be posted

5

for a period of at least fifteen days following its

6

determination by the board as required in section 403(g) of this

7

act. The notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the

8

outside of the premises in which the proposed store is to

9

operate or, in the event that a new structure is to be built in

10

a similarly visible location. If, within five days after the

11

appearance of such advertisement, or of the last day upon which

12

the notice was posted, fifteen or more taxpayers residing within

13

a quarter of a mile of such location, or the City Solicitor of

14

the city of the first class, shall file a protest with the court

15

of common pleas of the county averring that the location is

16

objectionable because of its proximity to a church, a school, or

17

to private residences, the court shall forthwith hold a hearing

18

affording an opportunity to the protestants and to the board to

19

present evidence. The court shall render its decision

20

immediately upon the conclusion of the testimony and from the

21

decision there shall be no appeal. If the court shall determine

22

that the proposed location is undesirable for the reasons set

23

forth in the protest, the board shall abandon it and find

24

another location. The board may establish, operate and maintain

25

such establishments for storing and testing liquors as it shall

26

deem expedient to carry out its powers and duties under this

27

act.

28

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

29

stores or establishments, but all such leases shall be made

30

through the Department of General Services as agent of the

- 6 -

 


1

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

2

shall have authority to purchase such equipment and appointments

3

as may be required in the operation of such stores or

4

establishments.

5

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

6

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

7

Section 304.  When Sales May Be Made at Pennsylvania Liquor

8

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

9

Pennsylvania Liquor Store shall be open for business week days,

10

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

11

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

12

any store in any municipality.

13

(b)  Certain Pennsylvania Liquor Stores operated by the board

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

Liquor Stores at its discretion for Sunday sales as provided for

19

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

20

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

21

board shall submit yearly reports to the Appropriations and the

22

Law and Justice Committees of the Senate and the Appropriations

23

and the Liquor Control Committees of the House of

24

Representatives summarizing the total dollar value of sales

25

under this section.

26

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

27

to read:

28

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

29

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

30

dispenser or club licensee, and no officer, director or

- 7 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

leasehold of any property or the equipment of any property or

4

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

5

importing distributor, or by an importer or sacramental wine

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

importing distributor, importer or sacramental wine licensee,

12

for equipping, fitting out, or maintaining and conducting,

13

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

14

of his business.

15

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

16

financial and business interests between manufacturers and

17

holders of hotel or restaurant liquor licenses and, as herein

18

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

19

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

20

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

21

economic conditions, nothing contained in this section shall be

22

construed to prohibit the ownership of property or conflicting

23

interest by a manufacturer of any place occupied by a licensee

24

under this article after the manufacturer has continuously owned

25

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

26

least five years prior to July eighteenth, one thousand nine

27

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

28

not prohibit any hotel, restaurant or club liquor licensee from

29

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

30

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

- 8 -

 


1

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

2

license to a lessee of such lands who owns the buildings

3

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

4

section shall be construed to prohibit any hotel, restaurant,

5

retail dispenser or club licensee or any officer, director or

6

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

7

financial or other interest, directly or indirectly in the

8

ownership or leasehold of any property or the equipment of any

9

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

10

importer or sacramental wine licensee for the exclusive purpose

11

of maintaining commercial offices and on the condition that said

12

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

13

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

14

That nothing contained in this section shall be construed to

15

prohibit a member of the governing board of a public authority

16

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

17

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

18

from having an interest in a distributor or importing

19

distributor license notwithstanding the fact that the public

20

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

21

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

22

further, That notwithstanding any other provision of this

23

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

24

a limited winery license and a hotel, restaurant or retail

25

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

26

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

27

interest in the licenses or in the entity holding the licenses

28

shall not be subject to this section.

29

Section 438.  Number and Kinds of Licenses Allowed Same

30

Licensee.--* * *

- 9 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

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

12

notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an entity

13

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

14

license and a hotel, restaurant or retail dispenser license for

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

this section.

19

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

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

of the financial and business interests between the various

24

classes of business regulated by subdivision (B) of this

25

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

26

whatsoever, directly or indirectly, evade the provisions of this

27

section. But in view of existing economic conditions, nothing

28

contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit the

29

ownership of property or conflicting interest by a malt or

30

brewed beverage manufacturer of any place occupied by a

- 10 -

 


1

distributor, importing distributor or retail dispenser after the

2

manufacturer has continuously owned and had a conflicting

3

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

4

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

5

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

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

beverages retail license on the manufacturer's or limited

11

winery's licensed premises. The hotel liquor license or

12

restaurant liquor license or the malt and brewed beverages

13

retail license shall be acquired by the manufacturer or limited

14

winery subject to section 461 and shall satisfy all requirements

15

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

16

nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit

17

a member of the governing board of a public authority created

18

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

19

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

20

an interest in a distributor or importing distributor license

21

notwithstanding the fact that the public authority has an

22

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

23

for one or more retail licenses.

24

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

25

manufacturers of malt or brewed beverages as defined in this act

26

and any person manufacturing any malt or brewed beverages

27

outside of this Commonwealth.

28

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

29

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

30

Section 493.  Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor, Malt and

- 11 -

 


1

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

2

in this section, shall mean those persons licensed under the

3

provisions of Article IV, unless the context clearly indicates

4

otherwise.

5

It shall be unlawful--

6

* * *

7

(24)  * * *

8

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

9

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

10

hold a slot machine license or a conditional slot machine

11

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

12

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

13

actively engaged in playing a slot machine.

14

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

15

of law, the board may establish and implement a customer

16

relations marketing program for the purpose of offering

17

incentives, such as coupons or discounts on certain products

18

which may be conditioned upon the purchase of liquor, to

19

customers of the board.

20

* * *

21

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

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

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

26

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

27

manufacturing, producing, distilling, developing, or using in

28

the process of manufacturing, denaturing, redistilling,

29

recovering, rectifying, blending and reusing of alcohol and

30

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

- 12 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

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

4

licenses may be transferred from one person to another or from

5

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

6

of such licenses shall file a written application with the

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

<--

16

a clause to read:

17

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

18

promoting tourism and recreational development in Pennsylvania,

19

holders of a limited winery license may:

20

* * *

21

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

22

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

23

locations other than the licensed premises and those premises

24

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

25

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

26

production requirement at those additional locations and under

27

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

28

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

29

facility, the limited winery must designate specific and

30

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

- 13 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

board-approved manager will be necessary for the storage

4

facility. The limited winery must fill out an application for

5

such an additional board-approved storage location, and such

6

location shall count as one of the two permitted for each

7

limited winery. The limited winery is responsible for keeping

8

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

9

a violation of the recordkeeping requirements of sections 512

10

and 513 pertaining to its own records only.

11

* * *

12

Section 9 10.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

<--

- 14 -