2017 -- H 5624

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LC001861

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

     Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Almeida, Perez, Hull, and Williams

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2017

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 3-7-14.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail

Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     3-7-14.2. Class P licenses -- Caterers.

     (a) A caterer licensed by the department of health and the division of taxation shall be

eligible to apply for a Class P license from the department of business regulation. The department

of business regulation is authorized to issue all caterers' licenses. The license will be valid

throughout this state as a state license and no further license will be required or tax imposed by

any city or town upon this alcoholic beverage privilege. Each caterer to which the license is

issued shall pay to the department of business regulation an annual fee of five hundred dollars

($500) for the license, and one dollar ($1.00) for each duplicate of the license, which fees are paid

into the state treasury. The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for

implementation of this license. In promulgating said rules, the department shall include, but is not

limited to, the following standards:

     (1) Proper identification will be required for individuals who look thirty (30) years old or

younger and who are ordering alcoholic beverages;

     (2) Only valid ID's as defined by these titles are acceptable;

     (3) An individual may not be served more than two (2) drinks at a time;

     (4) Licensee's, their agents, or employees will not serve visibly intoxicated individuals;

     (5) Licensee's may only serve alcoholic beverages for no more than a five (5) hour period

per event; provided, that no alcoholic beverage is sold or served after one o'clock (1:00) a.m., nor

before six o'clock (6:00) a.m.;

     (6) Only a licensee, or its employees, may serve alcoholic beverages at the event;

     (7) The licensee will deliver and remove alcoholic beverages to the event; and

     (8) No shots or triple alcoholic drinks will be served. ; and

     (9) No caterer may sell or serve alcohol at a location that is within two hundred feet

(200') of any public, private, or parochial school or place of worship more than one time per

month and a maximum of four (4) times per year at the same location, unless the location is

exempted under §3-7-19.

     (b) Any bartender employed by the licensee shall be certified by a nationally recognized

alcohol beverage server training program.

     (c) The licensee shall purchase at retail all alcoholic beverages from a licensed Class A

alcohol retail establishment located in the state, provided, however, any licensee who also holds a

Class T license, issued pursuant to the provisions of § 3-7-7, shall be allowed to purchase

alcoholic beverages at wholesale. Any person violating this section shall be fined five hundred

dollars ($500) for this violation and shall be subject to license revocation. The provisions of this

section shall be enforced in accordance with this title.

     (d) Violation of subsection (a) of this section is punishable upon conviction by a fine of

not more than five hundred dollars ($500) and/or a suspension or revocation of the Class P

license. Fines imposed under this section shall be paid to the department of business regulation.

     (e) Cities or towns may fix a later starting time or an earlier ending time, than those times

set forth in subsection (a)(5) of this section, within their jurisdiction, at their discretion.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

***

     This act would specify the hours during the day in which Class P licensees may sell or

serve alcoholic beverages, would allow the department of business regulation to impose greater

penalties for violations of this section, would prohibit regular alcohol sales with two hundred feet

(200') of a school or place of worship, and would enable cities or towns to fix earlier starting

times or later ending times for the hours during which Class P licensees may sell or serve

alcoholic beverages.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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