Chapter 043
2017 -- S 0292
Enacted 06/22/2017

A N   A C T
RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

Introduced By: Senator Walter S. Felag
Date Introduced: February 15, 2017

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Section 3-7-6.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail
Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
     3-7-6.1. Renewal of Class B, Class C, Class D, Class J, Class N and Class P licenses.
     (a) The holder of a Class B, Class C, Class D, Class J, Class N or Class P license who
applies before October 1, in any licensing period, for a license of the same class for the next
succeeding licensing period shall, prior to filing said application, demonstrate that he or she has
complied with the alcohol server training regulations, as promulgated by the department of
business regulation, as set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
     (b) The department of business regulation shall promulgate rules and regulations
requiring that all licenses issued pursuant to this section meet the following minimum alcohol
server training regulations, requirements:
     (1) All persons who sell or serve alcoholic beverages; anyone serving in a supervisory
capacity over those who sell or serve alcoholic beverages; anyone whose job description entails
the checking of identification for the purchase of alcoholic beverages; and valet parking staff
shall receive alcohol server training regulations, as set forth herein.;
     (2) Any eligible employee of a licensee shall be required to complete certified training
within sixty (60) days of the commencement of his or her employment and must attain a
minimum score of seventy-five percent (75%). Provided, however, that the city of Pawtucket and
the town of Smithfield may require eligible employees to complete the certified training
program, prior to employment within the city or town. Individuals certified by an alcohol server
training program prior to December 31, 2005, are exempt from the certification requirements
herein, not to exceed three (3) years.;
     (3) Licensees shall require servers to be recertified every three (3) years.;
     (4) As a condition of license renewal, and as part of the license renewal application, each
licensee must submit to their municipality information verifying that all persons listed under
subsection (b)(1) of this section and employed by the licensee for more than sixty (60) days in the
past year have completed a certified program within the last three (3) years.;
     (5) All persons identified under subsection (b) of this section must have their valid server
permits on the premises when engaged in the sale or service of alcoholic beverages.; and
     (6) Individuals who have been issued a server permit in another jurisdiction by an
approved Rhode Island alcohol server training program shall be determined to be in compliance
with this section subject to the three-year (3) limitation contained herein.
     (c) Only alcohol server training programs that meet the following criteria as determined
by the behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and healthcare department of business
regulation may be eligible for certification:
     (1) Training is provided in all basic information relevant to servers, including, but not
limited to:
     (i) The physiological effects of alcohol;
     (ii) Alcohol's association with social problems;
     (iii) Coverage of legal requirements related to alcohol service;
     (iv) How to identify patrons who are impaired; and
     (v) Techniques in refusing service to intoxicated patrons.
     (2) Training is provided in more than one medium including, but not limited to, video,
training manual, and/or role playing related to refusal of service to intoxicated drinkers.;
     (3) Training in preventing sales to underage drinkers, including training in detection of
fraudulent identification; and
     (4) Training shall entail no less than two (2) hours, and no greater than four (4) hours in
duration, with no absentee certification.
     (d) Notwithstanding the criteria established under subsection (c) of this section, an
internet- or computer-based alcohol server training program shall be eligible for certification if
the following criteria are met:
     (1) Training in all basic information, as outlined in subsection (c)(1) of this section, is
included in the program;
     (2) Training in preventing sales to underage drinkers, including training in detection of
fraudulent identification, is included in the program; and
     (3) Training program is designed to periodically verify that a trainee has reviewed and
obtained a working knowledge of information presented through the internet or computer training
program.
     (e) (1) Testing procedures, test content, and grading procedures shall be approved by the
department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and healthcare business
regulation to ensure testing integrity and consistency with program requirements contained in
subsection (c) herein. The department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and
healthcare business regulation is authorized to audit, in a method it shall determine, any approved
server training program.;
     (2) Training programs, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the department
of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and healthcare business regulation, shall be
recertified every three (3) years.; and
     (3) Server permits shall be issued by the server training programs in a form approved by
the behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and healthcare department of business
regulation. Said permits shall include, at a minimum, the name of the server, the date of issuance,
and the name of the server training program.
     (f) The department of business regulation shall promulgate and enforce rules and
regulations for noncompliance as follows:
     (1) Graduated penalties for licensees for violations within a three-year (3) period
beginning with an initial written warning for violations within a three-year (3) period for a first
violation; a written warning for a second violation; a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars
($250) for a third violation or noncompliance; and a license suspension for subsequent
violations.;
     (2) For violations within a three-year (3) period, graduated penalties for training
programs beginning with an initial written warning, a written warning for a second (2nd)
violation, and a suspension and/or decertification for a third (3rd) violation or for repeated
noncompliance. The behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and healthcare may
forward complaints of violations to the department of business regulation.;
     (3) For violations within a three-year (3) period, graduated penalties for servers
beginning with an initial written warning; a written warning for a second violation, and a loss of
server training certification for a third violation or noncompliance.; and
     (4) Failure to have a valid server permit on their person shall not constitute a violation,
provided, proof of a valid permit is provided within ten (10) days thereof.
     (g) In order to provide for uniformity, any enactment by any government body relating to
alcohol server training programs pertaining to Class B, Class C, Class D, Class J, Class N, and
Class P licenses, as provided for herein shall be by statute as enacted by the general assembly.
     (h) The respective departments shall promulgate said regulations no later than October 1,
2005. The department of business regulation behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
and healthcare shall review and certify eligible alcohol server training programs no later than
January 1, 2006. The department of business regulation behavioral healthcare, developmental
disabilities and healthcare shall notify applicants of any deficiencies not later than December 1,
2005. All licensees shall be in compliance with said regulations within ninety (90) days of
January 1, 2006, or be subject to the penalties set forth herein.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC001137
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