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Pennsylvania free liquor bill signed

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania – (PRESS RELEASE) -- Governor Edward G. Rendell today signed House Bill 446 amending the Liquor Code allowing for special occasion liquor permits. The Governor sent a signing message to the legislature to explain his support for this bill.

Under current law, liquor licensees, as well as holders of licenses that permit them to sell malt and brewed beverages, may sell liquor and brewed beverages between 11 a.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday if they purchase a special permit; however, in cities of the first class, only such licensees whose sales of food and nonalcoholic beverages are equal to 30 percent of the combined gross sales of food and alcoholic beverages may sell liquor between 11 a.m. Sunday and 2 a.m. Monday. This bill removes those provisions, so that there is no minimum food sales requirement in cities of the first class to sell liquor or brewed beverages on Sundays.

Also, under current law, a restaurant licensee or a retail dispenser licensee located in a city of the first class must obtain a permit from the board every two years to sell malt or brewed beverages off-premises. This bill provides that after Oct. 31, 2007, such licensee must only obtain a permit from the board once. Currently, the governing body of the city of the first class is to hear request for these permits; this bill provides that the city of the first class must create a hearing board within its department of licenses and inspections to hear requests from licensees seeking to sell liquor off-premises. The hearing board must be made up of three people appointed by the mayor, subject to the approval of the city council. The hearing board has 90 days to issue its decision (as opposed to the current 45 days for the governing body). Permits to sell off-premises expire upon transfer of the license to a new entity or a new location, or when the underlying license expires.

The bill allows a holder of a restaurant license who is also approved to hold a slot machine license or a conditional slot machine license to give liquor free of charge to persons engaged in playing slot machines.

The Rendell Administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site.

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