In order to continue selling liquor in Pennsylvania, businesses and organizations must apply to renew their retail liquor license every other year. In 2016, the Liquor Code underwent a number of significant changes, one of which was the establishment of an additional surcharge for the validation or renewal of all retail liquor licenses. This $700.00 surcharge was added because the current level of fees for renewals and fines had not kept up with the cost of investigations and enforcements.
 
Unfortunately, this $700.00 blanket surcharge does not differentiate between businesses with consistent revenue streams and small organizations that would struggle to pay this hefty fee. Indeed, in 2020, the Liquor Code was amended to exempt volunteer fire companies and veterans’ organizations from paying the $700.00 surcharge simply because it was too great a financial burden. However, other small organizations have not yet been granted this necessary relief.
 
That is why I plan to introduce legislation which would provide a refund of $350 for club licensees who have purchased less than $2,000 in liquor from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board in the preceding two-year renewal period. This relief is vital to small club licensees who must unfairly pay the same amount to renew their licensees as larger businesses and organizations with consistent revenue streams.
 
Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation so that we may relieve small club licensees of this heavy financial burden.