S_BLT_2017A 03/14/2017 Committee Summary

10:10 AM -- SB 17-199



Senator Neville and Senator Kerr introduced Senate Bill 17-199, concerning the licensing of retail liquor stores. Under current law, a retail liquor store licensee that is a Colorado resident and was licensed on or before January 1, 2016, may obtain additional retail liquor store licenses based on a phased in schedule in statute. Additional licenses may not be within 1,500 feet of another licensed retail premises in a municipality with a population of 10,000 or less.



Under the bill, beginning July 1, 2017, a retail liquor store licensee that is licensed on or before January 1, 2017, and has a majority of owners who have either resided in Colorado for at least two years or operated a business in Colorado for at least ten years, may obtain additional liquor licenses based on the bill's requirements. In order to obtain additional licenses, eligible retail liquor stores must apply to transfer ownership of at least two retail liquor stores that were licensed on or before July 1, 2017, and all retail liquor store licenses within the radius restriction, and merge the licenses into a single retail liquor store license. The retail liquor stores that are merged must be in the same local licensing authority jurisdiction as the applicant's proposed location. If there are fewer than two licensed retail liquor stores in the jurisdiction, the applicant must apply to transfer ownership of retail liquor stores in the next nearest jurisdiction.



Under current law, retail liquor stores may not receive more than 20 percent of annual gross revenue from non-alcohol products. The bill specifies that the limit applies to annual gross sales products from the 20 percent limit on non-alcohol sales revenue.



Senator Neville discussed amendments L.001, L.002, and L.007 (Attachments A, B, and C).



170314 AttachA.pdf170314 AttachB.pdf170314 AttachC.pdf









10:18 AM -- Jim Shpall, Applejack Liquor, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



10:36 AM -- Thomas Noller, Mayfair Liquors, spoke in opposition to the bill.



10:40 AM -- Jim Dean, Hazel's Beverage World, spoke in opposition to the bill.



10:45 AM -- Carolyn Joy, Joy Wine & Spirits, spoke in opposition to the bill.



10:47 AM -- Dennis Dinsmore, Wyatt's, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



10:55 AM -- Omar Malik, Grape Leaf, spoke in opposition to the bill.



10:58 AM -- Mat Dinsmore, Coloradans for Safety, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



11:10 AM -- Paul Baryames, PJ's, spoke in support of the bill.



11:13 AM -- Andrew Gitin, Happy Canyon Liquors, spoke in support of the bill.



11:15 AM -- Grier Baily, Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, spoke about the bill.



11:19 AM -- Jeanne McEvoy, Colorado Licensed Beverage Association, spoke in opposition to the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



11:26 AM -- John Cohagen, Atlas Valley Purveyors, spoke in support of the bill.



11:30 AM -- Rufus Nagel, Molly's Spirits, spoke in support of the bill.



11:31 AM -- Ron Kammerzell, Liquor Enforcement Division, responded to questions from the committee.







11:45 AM



Senators Kerr and Neville made closing comments on the merits of the bill.

11:54 AM



The committee adjourned.