HB 1959 Summary

• Establishes separate permit-to-population ratios for beer and light wine (1 permit per 2,500 people) versus vinous and spirituous liquor (1 permit per 5,000 people) for off-premises sales.

• Prohibits the Director of Alcoholic Beverage Control from issuing new beer permits or small farm wine permits for off-premises consumption within 1,000 feet of a gas pump that the applicant controls, holds an interest in, or receives compensation from.

• Prevents transfer of existing beer or small farm wine permits to locations within 1,000 feet of a gas pump meeting the same ownership or interest criteria.

• Repeals the applicability limitation restricting permit regulations to applications filed after July 1, 1991, and updates the grandfathering date to August 15, 2015 for existing permit holders.

• Allows licensed retail liquor dealers to sell beer and small farm wine without additional license fees, and specifies that new permit restrictions apply only to applications filed after August 1, 2015.