CO SB197

Restricts issuance of new liquor-licensed drugstore and retail liquor store licenses on or after July 1, 2016, if located within 1,500 feet of another retail liquor store or, in municipalities with populations of 10,000 or fewer, within 3,000 feet of another retail liquor store.

Allows liquor-licensed drugstores licensed on or before January 1, 2016, to obtain additional licenses through a merger and conversion process by acquiring and consolidating at least two existing retail liquor store licenses, with limits increasing over time (up to 5 licenses by 2022, 8 by 2027, 13 by 2032, 20 by 2037, then unlimited).

Removes the alcohol content limit on fermented malt beverages effective January 1, 2019, allowing sales of malt liquors with any alcohol content and directing a liquor industry working group to develop implementation procedures.

Creates a liquor-licensed drugstore manager's permit requiring individuals to demonstrate no convictions for alcohol-related crimes within 8 years or felonies within 5 years, age 21 or older, and no prior permit revocations within 3 years.

Implements new operational requirements including cash-only purchases from wholesalers, prohibition on self-checkout sales, mandatory employee-assisted transactions, 20 percent minimum gross income from food sales, and restrictions on employees under 21 handling alcohol.