The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages and the granting of licenses for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state for which various fees, including renewal fees, are charged depending upon the type of license issued. Existing law, for the purpose of providing economic relief to licensees most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, authorizes the department to waive license renewal fees, as defined, for specified licenses. Existing law requires a licensee who requests a fee waiver to certify under penalty of perjury that they qualify for the waiver.
This bill would waive license renewal fees for licensees in the County of Los Angeles and would require licensees who request a fee waiver to certify under penalty of perjury that they qualify for a fee waiver. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The act also provides for a limitation on the amount of on-sale general licenses that may be issued by the department based on the population of the county in which the licensed premises are located, as provided.
This bill would authorize the department to issue no more than 30 new original neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses to bona fide public eating places located in specified census tracts in the County of Los Angeles beginning on January 1, 2026, until a total of 150 new licenses have been issued, as specified. This bill would authorize the department to adopt rules and regulations to enforce these provisions.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.