SB17-199: Retail Liquor Store Licensing

• Replaces the time-based expansion structure (allowing 1-3 additional licenses from 2017-2027) with a tiered structure starting July 1, 2017, allowing qualifying Colorado resident owners to obtain up to unlimited retail liquor store licenses by 2037 through transfer, merger, and relocation of existing licenses.

• Requires applicants seeking additional licenses after July 1, 2017, to transfer ownership of at least 2 existing licensed retail liquor stores within the same jurisdiction, relocate one store, and merge the licenses into a single license, subject to distance requirements of 1,500 feet (or 3,000 feet in municipalities with populations of 10,000 or fewer).

• Excludes lottery products, cigarettes, tobacco, nicotine products, ice, and nonalcohol beverages from the 20% cap on nonalcohol product sales revenues at retail liquor stores.

• Prohibits self-checkout purchases of alcohol beverages, requires age verification for all alcohol purchases, mandates responsible vendor certification, and prohibits employees under 21 from handling alcohol products.

• Effective July 1, 2017; establishes state and local application fees (not to exceed $1,000) for license transfers and mergers.