The bill modifies the restrictions on alcohol consumption at licensed premises by allowing customers to consume alcohol (malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors) between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. under the following conditions:
Key Provisions:
Sales:
The licensee (person licensed to sell alcohol) must stop selling alcohol and close out all open charges by 2:30 a.m..
Consumption:
All purchased alcohol must be removed from the consumption area by 3 a.m.. This means customers can continue drinking, but no new drinks can be served, and the premises should be cleared of alcohol by 3 a.m.
Local Jurisdiction:
The bill only applies if the local jurisdiction (county, city, or municipality) chooses to opt-in by passing a local law.
Local laws may be stricter than this bill, meaning jurisdictions could still impose tighter restrictions than those in the bill.
This bill allows licensed premises to offer a one-hour extended consumption period, but only if local authorities approve it, providing flexibility to accommodate late-night patrons while ensuring enforcement of alcohol consumption and sales rules.
Summary
Current law prohibits a person licensed to sell alcohol beverages
at the retail level (licensee) from selling, serving, or distributing malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. The bill allows a licensee to allow customers to consume malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. on the licensed premises if the licensee: •
Stops selling malt, vinous, or spiritous liquors and closes out all open charges no later than 2:30 a.m.; and
•
Removes all purchased malt, vinous, or spirituous liquors from the consumption area of the licensed premises no later than 3 a.m.
The bill only applies to a licensee if the county, city and county, or
municipality that the licensee is operating within adopts a law opting into the application of the bill to their jurisdiction. The local law may be more strict than the bill.
