CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 16(FIN)
"An Act relating to certain alcoholic beverage
licenses and permits; relating to the bond requirement
for certain alcoholic beverage license holders; and
providing for an effective date."
9:45:28 AM
Vice-Chair Johnston MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for CSSB 16(FIN), Work Draft 31-LS0283\H (Bruce,
5/14/19)(copy on file).
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Co-Chair Wilson commented on the changes. She noted that
the committee substitute (CS) addressed surrendering a
license for renewal and removed the proposed Fair license.
The bill was solely a bill that grandfathered in the 11
licenses where renewals were revoked due to new statute
interpretations by the Alaska Alcoholic Beverage Control
(ABC) Board.
9:46:44 AM
ERIKA MCCONNELL, DIRECTOR, ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA CONTROL
OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, introduced herself.
Co-Chair Wilson spoke of an undisclosed business with a
unique problem that she had discussed with Ms. McConnell.
She asked whether the establishment would be allowed to
sell one of its licenses even if it took a year or two and
would not be an issue for the board. Ms. McConnell
responded that it would not be an issue.
Representative Knopp asked whether the CS contained a new
fair license. Co-Chair Wilson commented that the new fair
license was removed because the Palmer Fair was
grandfathered in with their current recreational license in
the CS and did not desire a new type of license. They would
remain under the recreational license.
Representative Knopp noted that Section 4 of the CS dealt
with fair license language.
9:48:44 AM
AT EASE
9:51:16 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Wilson explained that the fair license was in the
bill and she was incorrect. The language allowed the fair
to do what it had previously done and was moved from
regulation and placed in statute. The bill disallowed any
new entity to participate or any new type of activity. She
noted the date had been changed to ensure that the
businesses would be allowed to renew as a recreational
license instead of the fair license if preferred. The fair
license only allowed for specific activities. She provided
a clarifying example.
Representative Josephson learned that recreational site
licenses for ski areas and bowling alleys lack all the
benefits proposed under the fair license. He believed that
the provision should be cleaned up.
9:53:23 AM
SENATOR PETER MICCICHE, SPONSOR, introduced himself.
Co-Chair Wilson asked whether there was another bill that
cleaned up alcohol statutes and dealt with the issue
identified by Representative Josephson.
Senator Micciche responded in the affirmative but cautioned
that unless the bill passed in the current session the fair
issue would not be addressed and that eliminating the ski
areas and bowling alleys would significantly impact the
current businesses.
Co-Chair Wilson indicated that the state currently had 11
businesses that under no fault of their own were revoked.
Representative Josephson asked whether the CS included
provisions dealing with pub licenses to allow them to move
within noncontiguous areas on a campus. Co-Chair Wilson
responded in the negative.
9:54:57 AM
Representative LeBon MOVED to ADOPT Conceptual Amendment 1.
Co-Chair Wilson OBJECTED for discussion.
Representative LeBon explained his amendment. He
highlighted that the amendment was for music festivals in
rural unorganized boroughs to allow serving alcohol through
vendors that hold a restaurant or eating place license. He
specified that the event was held in Chicken, Alaska for
the last 12 years and a local restaurant called the Chicken
Goat Camp had been selling beer and wine during the event.
He welcomed committee comments.
Co-Chair Wilson indicated that the event was currently able
to use the catering license for Chena Hot Springs and had
the ability to sell beer and wine. She indicated that the
festival desired its own license and she believed the issue
was a policy call and should be entertained in the other
bill. She objected to the amendment.
Senator Micciche emphasized that the current bill was an
attempt to literally save the 11 business at risk. He
requested that the committee take into consideration that
it was the last day of the legislative session. He offered
to help the other businesses in the other bill but felt
that they could continue to operate another year without
interruption.
Representative LeBon asked if the Chicken Festival would
lose its ability to sell beer and wine to event attendees.
Senator Micciche responded that there were many other types
of Beverage Dispensary Licenses in the state and the
festival had other choices. He was focused on the other 11
businesses that did not have another choice.
Co-Chair Wilson MAINTAINED her OBJECTION.
A roll call vote was taken on the motion.
IN FAVOR: LeBon, Ortiz, Sullivan-Leonard
OPPOSED: Johnston, Knopp, Merrick, Tilton, Carpenter,
Josephson, Wilson
Co-Chair Foster was absent from the vote.
The MOTION to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1 FAILED (3/7).
9:59:24 AM
AT EASE
10:00:25 AM
RECONVENED
Vice-Chair Johnston MOVED to REPORT HCSCS 16(FIN) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal notes.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
HCS CSSB 16 (FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with two previously published
fiscal notes: FN2 (REV), FN3 (CED).
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 16(FIN)
"An Act relating to certain alcoholic beverage
licenses and permits; relating to the bond requirement
for certain alcoholic beverage license holders; and
providing for an effective date."
10:50:26 AM
Co-Chair Wilson MOVED to RECIND action taken on SB 16.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Co-Chair
Wilson explained that she wanted to make sure
Representative LeBon's concerns were addressed properly
10:50:54 AM
AT EASE
11:01:48 AM
RECONVENED
Co-Chair Wilson WITHDREW her RECENSION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
11:02:48 AM
Co-Chair Wilson RECESSED TO THE CALL OF THE CHAIR [note:
the meeting never reconvened].