House Bill No. 5425, also known as Public Act No. 25-40, amends the regulations surrounding cafe permits for the sale of alcoholic liquor. The bill repeals subsection (a) of section 30-22a and introduces new provisions effective July 1, 2025. Under the new law, cafe permit holders must keep food available for sale during most of their operating hours, but they can meet this requirement by allowing food deliveries from nearby vendors. The law clarifies that there is no obligation to sell food with alcoholic beverages, nor will there be any enforced standards regarding the proportion of food sales to alcohol sales. Additionally, the bill allows for the serving of alcoholic liquor in outside areas, with certain conditions regarding fencing and health regulations.

The bill also introduces a tiered fee structure for cafe permits, reducing the annual fee for prior holders of tavern permits and establishing a new, lower fee for railways. Specifically, the annual fee for a cafe permit will be $2,000, but for prior tavern permit holders, it will be $800 for the first year, $1,200 for the second year, $1,600 for the third year, and $2,000 thereafter. For railways, the fee will be set at $200. These changes aim to streamline the process for cafe permits while accommodating the unique needs of railways and previous tavern permit holders.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 30-1, 30-12, 30-38, 30-45, 30-53, 30-54
GL Joint Favorable: 30-1, 30-12, 30-38, 30-45, 30-53, 30-54
File No. 300: 30-1, 30-12, 30-38, 30-45, 30-53, 30-54