Retail Sales Of Alcohol Beverages

Under current law, a retail liquor store licensee that was licensed on or before January 1, 2016, and is a Colorado resident is permitted to obtain one additional retail liquor store license on or after January 1, 2017; 2 additional retail liquor store licenses on or after January 1, 2022; and 3 additional retail liquor store licenses on or after January 1, 2027.

Additionally, current law permits a liquor-licensed drugstore licensee that was licensed on or before January 1, 2016, to obtain additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses, as follows, but only if the licensee applies to transfer ownership of, change location of, and merge and convert 2 retail liquor store licenses located within the same local licensing authority jurisdiction as the drugstore premises to a single liquor-licensed drugstore license and only if the drugstore premises will not be located within 1,500 feet of any other licensed retail liquor store in the same local licensing jurisdiction or, if within a municipality with a population of not more than 10,000 people, the drugstore premises will not be located within 3,000 feet of any other licensed retail liquor store in the same local licensing jurisdiction:

• On or after January 1, 2017, up to 4 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses;
• On or after January 1, 2022, up to 7 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses;
• On or after January 1, 2027, up to 12 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses;
• On or after January 1, 2032, up to 19 additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; and
• On or after January 1, 2037, an unlimited number of additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses.

Section 3 of the bill modifies provisions governing the ability of a retail liquor store to obtain additional retail liquor store licenses as follows:

• Allows a retail liquor store that was licensed on or before April 1, 2017, to obtain 3 additional retail liquor store licenses between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018; on or after January 1, 2022, to obtain a maximum of 6 total retail liquor store licenses; and on or after January 1, 2027, a maximum of 9 total retail liquor store licenses;
• For additional licenses obtained on or after January 1, 2022, requires a person seeking additional licenses to apply to transfer ownership of, change location of, and merge 2 retail liquor store licenses located within the same local licensing authority jurisdiction as the applicant's premises into a single retail liquor store license; and
• Requires the majority of the owners of a retail liquor store seeking additional retail liquor store licenses to have either resided in Colorado for at least 2 years or operated a business in Colorado for at least 10 years.

Additionally, the bill prohibits a retail liquor store from allowing customers to use a self-checkout to complete an alcohol beverage purchase and requires a retail liquor store to:

• Verify the age of a customer attempting to purchase an alcohol beverage by examining the customer's valid identification; and
• Maintain certification as a responsible alcohol beverage vendor.

An employee of a retail liquor store who is under 21 years of age cannot deliver or otherwise have contact with alcohol beverages offered for sale on, or sold and removed from, the licensed premises.

For liquor-licensed drugstore licenses, section 4 :

• Allows a licensee that applied for a liquor-licensed drugstore license on or before October 1, 2016, and a corporation within a controlled group of corporations to obtain additional liquor-licensed drugstore licenses; and
• Caps the total number of additional licenses at 19, for a total of 20 liquor-licensed drugstore licenses.

Sections 5 and 6 set state and local application fees for a retail liquor store licensee applying for a transfer of ownership, change of location, and merger of 2 retail liquor store licenses.

Sections 1 and 2 make conforming amendments.

The bill takes effect July 1, 2017.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)