Bill Text: NJ S536 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits nonprofit and for-profit entities operating theaters with 250 or more seats to apply for liquor license.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S536 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S536-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Senator BRIAN P. STACK
District 33 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Permits nonprofit and for-profit entities operating theaters with 250 or more seats to apply for liquor license.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning plenary retail consumption licenses and amending P.L.1985, c.151.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1985, c.151 (C.33:1-19.7) is amended to read as follows:
1. It shall be lawful for the governing board or body of any municipality, upon the approval of the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, to issue a plenary retail consumption license to a nonprofit corporation or for-profit entity, which conducts musical or theatrical performances or concerts on premises with a seating capacity of [1,000] 250 persons or more authorizing the sale of alcoholic beverages by the nonprofit corporation or for-profit entity or its restaurant operator who has been approved pursuant to procedures established by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control for consumption on the licensed premises only during performances and the two hours immediately preceding and the two hours immediately following performances.
For the purposes of this section, "licensed premises" shall include the premises where the musical or theatrical performance or concert is held and any adjacent premises owned and operated by the licensee.
A license issued under the provisions of this act shall not be counted in determining the number of licenses under P.L.1947, c.94 (C.33:1-12.13 et seq.) or under P.L.1968, c.277 (C.40:48-2.40 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.1994, c.18, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill reduces the number of seats required for a nonprofit theater to apply for a license to serve alcoholic beverages from 1,000 to 250. In addition, the bill extends to for-profit entities that operate a theater with 250 or more seats the ability to apply for a license to serve alcoholic beverages.
Under current law, municipalities are authorized to issue a special plenary retail consumption license, also known as a "theater license," to a nonprofit corporation which conducts musical or theatrical performances or concerts on the premises if there is a seating capacity of 1,000 persons or more. A licensee may serve alcoholic beverages on the premises only during the performance, as well as two hours before and after the performance. These theater licenses are not subject to the population limitation that restricts a municipality from issuing more than one plenary retail consumption license for every 3,000 person residing in that municipality.
Under this bill, nonprofit corporations and for-profit entities that operate theaters with a seating capacity of 250 persons or more may apply for a theater license.
