BILL NUMBER: AB 623CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 292 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 22, 2011 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 15, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 6, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 24, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Williams (Coauthor: Assembly Member Chesbro) FEBRUARY 16, 2011 An act to amend Sections 23661.7, 24045.18, 25503.56, and 25503.9 of, and to add Section 23393.5 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to alcoholic beverages. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 623, Williams. Alcoholic beverage licensees: limited off-sale retail wine license. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act contains various provisions regulating the application for, the issuance of, the suspension of, and the conditions imposed upon, alcoholic beverage licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Existing law provides for various annual fees for the issuance of alcoholic beverage licenses depending upon the type of license issued. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act provides that a violation of its provisions is a misdemeanor, unless otherwise specified. This bill would authorize the department to issue a limited off-sale retail wine license that would allow the licenseholder to sell wine if certain conditions are met and would grant specified privileges to the licenseholder, as provided. The bill would impose an original fee and an annual renewal fee for the license, which would be deposited in the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund. Because the violation of a provision of the license is punishable as a misdemeanor, the bill expands the definition of an existing crime, thereby creating a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 23393.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 23393.5. (a) The department may issue a limited off-sale retail wine license which authorizes the sale of wine by the licensee if all of the following conditions are met: (1) Sales are restricted to those solicited and accepted via direct mail, telephone, or the Internet. (2) Sales are not conducted from a retail premises open to the public. (3) The licensee takes possession of and title to all wine sold by the licensee. (4) All wine sold by the licensee are delivered to the purchaser from the licensee's licensed premises or from a licensed public warehouse. (b) The sale of wine shall only be to consumers and not for resale, in packages or quantities of 52 gallons or less per sale, for consumption off the premise where sold. (c) The licensee shall comply with Section 23985, but is exempted from Sections 23985.5 and 23986. (d) The department may impose reasonable conditions upon the licensee as may be needed in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare. (e) The application for the license shall be accompanied by an original fee in an amount equivalent to that of an original off-sale beer and wine license pursuant to Section 23954.5. The annual fee for the license shall be an amount equivalent to that of a retail package off-sale beer and wine license pursuant to Section 23320. All moneys collected from the fees shall be deposited in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Fund, pursuant to Section 25761. SEC. 2. Section 23661.7 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 23661.7. (a) A person who has purchased wine from a licensed winegrower, the holder of a beer and wine wholesaler's license and an off-sale retail license that only sells wine, or the holder of a limited off-sale retail wine license, has taken delivery of that wine within this state for delivery or use without the state, and has removed that wine from the state, may return all or any portion of that wine to the premises of the licensee from whom the wine was purchased. To make a return the purchaser need not obtain any license in this state, and may return the wine in a vehicle owned or controlled by the purchaser. (b) The provisions of Section 32175 of the Revenue and Taxation Code shall apply to any wine so returned. SEC. 3. Section 24045.18 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 24045.18. Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, a beer and wine wholesaler that also holds an off-sale beer and wine retail license and only sells wine or the holder of a limited off-sale retail wine license may assist a nonprofit organization holding a temporary wine license in conducting a winetasting. The privilege granted under this section for a beer and wine wholesaler that also holds an off-sale beer and wine retail license and only sells wine or the holder of a limited off-sale retail wine license shall apply only to wine produced for the donating licensee that is labeled with a brand owned exclusively by the donating licensee and shall include in the tasting only wine donated by the licensee to the event. SEC. 4. Section 25503.56 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 25503.56. (a) An authorized licensee, or a designated representative of an authorized licensee acting as an agent of the authorized licensee, may conduct, on the area specified by paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 23396.6, an instructional tasting event for consumers on the subject of wine, beer, or distilled spirits, including, but not limited to, the history, nature, values, and characteristics of wine, beer, or distilled spirits, and the methods of presenting and serving wine, beer, or distilled spirits. (1) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the instructional tasting event may include the serving of alcoholic beverages to an attendee of legal drinking age. An instructional tasting event on the subject of wine or distilled spirits shall be limited to not more than three tastings per person per day. A single tasting of distilled spirits shall not exceed one-fourth of one ounce and a single tasting of wine shall not exceed one ounce. An instructional tasting event on the subject of beer shall be limited to not more than the tasting of eight ounces of beer per person per day. The wine, beer, or distilled spirits tasted shall be limited to the products that are authorized to be sold by the authorized licensee and the licenseholder under its off-sale license. (B) A beer and wine wholesaler may conduct an instructional tasting event but shall not serve tastes of beer unless the beer and wine wholesaler also holds a beer manufacturer's license, an out-of-state beer manufacturer's certificate, or more than six distilled spirits wholesaler's licenses. (C) No charge of any sort shall be made for the tastings. Except for the purposes of Section 23985, the serving of tastings shall not be deemed a sale of products pursuant to this division. (D) A person under 21 years of age shall not serve wine, beer, or distilled spirits at the instructional tasting event. (E) All tastes shall be served by an employee of the authorized licensee, the designated representative of the authorized licensee, or by an employee of the designated representative of the authorized licensee. (F) An authorized licensee, or a designated representative of an authorized licensee, shall either supply the wine or distilled spirits to be tasted during the instructional tasting event or purchase the wine or distilled spirits from the licenseholder at the original invoiced cost. An authorized licensee, or a designated representative of an authorized licensee, shall purchase beer to be tasted during the instructional tasting event from the licenseholder at the original invoiced cost. (G) Any unused wine, beer, or distilled spirits remaining from the tasting shall be removed from the off-sale licensed premises by the authorized licensee or its designated representative. (2) If the instructional tasting event is conducted by a designated representative of an authorized licensee, the designated representative shall not be owned, controlled, or employed directly or indirectly by the licenseholder on whose premises the instructional tasting event is held. (3) An instructional tasting event shall be limited to a single type of alcoholic beverage. For purposes of this paragraph, "type of alcoholic beverage" means distilled spirits, wine, or beer. (b) For purposes of this section: (1) "Authorized licensee" means a winegrower, California winegrower's agent, beer and wine importer general, beer and wine wholesaler, wine rectifier, distilled spirits manufacturer, distilled spirits manufacturer's agent, distilled spirits importer general, distilled spirits rectifier, distilled spirits general rectifier, rectifier, out-of-state distilled spirits shipper's certificate holder, distilled spirits wholesaler, brandy manufacturer, brandy importer, California brandy wholesaler, beer manufacturer, or an out-of-state beer manufacturer certificate holder. "Authorized licensee" shall not include an entity that solely holds a combination of a beer and wine wholesale license and an off-sale beer and wine retail license or holds those licenses solely in combination with any license not listed in this paragraph, or holds a limited off-sale retail wine license. (2) "Licenseholder" means an off-sale retail licensee issued an instructional tasting license pursuant to Section 23396.6. (3) "Location" means the total contiguous area encompassed by the off-sale and on-sale licenses. (c) Notwithstanding subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), a licenseholder may conduct an instructional tasting event that includes the serving of tastings only when an authorized licensee or its designated representative are unable to conduct an instructional tasting event previously advertised pursuant to this section and scheduled by the authorized licensee or its designated representative, provided the licenseholder supplies the wine, beer, or distilled spirits used in the instructional tasting event and provides or pays for a person to serve the wine, beer, or distilled spirits. Instructional tasting events conducted by a licenseholder pursuant to this subdivision are subject to the provisions of this section and Section 23396.6. (d) No more than one authorized licensee, or its designated representative, may conduct an instructional tasting event that includes the serving of tastes of wine, beer, or distilled spirits at any one individual licensed premises of a licenseholder per day. (e) A licenseholder that also holds an on-sale beer and wine license, an on-sale beer and wine eating place license, or an on-sale general license shall not allow an authorized licensee, or its designated representative, to conduct an instructional tasting event on the same day and at the same location as any instructional tasting event held pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 23386, Section 25503.4, subdivision (c) of Section 25503.5, or Section 25503.55. (f) A licenseholder shall not condition the allowance of an instructional tasting event upon the use of a particular designated representative of an authorized licensee. (g) (1) In addition to any point of sale advertising or other advertising items allowed under this division or under rules of the department, an authorized licensee or its designated representative, in his or her absolute discretion and with permission of the licenseholder upon whose premises the instructional tasting event will be held, may list in an advertisement to the general public the name and address of the licenseholder, the names of the alcoholic beverages being featured at the instructional tasting event, and the time, date, and location of, and other information about, the instructional tasting event, provided that both of the following apply: (A) The advertisement does not contain the retail price of the alcoholic beverages. (B) The listing of the licenseholder's name and address is the only reference to the licenseholder in the advertisement. (2) Pictures or illustrations of the licenseholder's licensed premises and laudatory references to the licenseholder in these advertisements are not authorized. Nothing in this section shall authorize an authorized licensee or its designated representative to share in the costs, if any, of the licenseholder. (h) A licenseholder may advertise an instructional tasting event to the general public. The costs of this advertising shall be borne solely by the licenseholder. Advertising permitted by this subdivision includes flyers, newspaper ads, Internet communications, and interior signage. (i) Except as otherwise provided in this division or rules of the department, no premium, gift, free goods, or other thing of value shall be given away by an authorized licensee or its designated representative in connection with an instructional tasting event that includes tastings of an alcoholic beverage. (j) The licenseholder or the authorized licensee or its designated representative are authorized to perform set up and break down of the instructional tasting event area. The authorized licensee or its designated representative may provide, free of charge to the licenseholder, the equipment, materials, and utensils as may be required for use in connection with the instructional tasting event. (k) (1) A licenseholder shall not require, or enter into a collusive scheme with an authorized licensee or its designated representative to conduct one or more instructional tasting events as a condition of the licenseholder carrying or continuing to carry a brand or brands of the authorized licensee or as a condition for display or other merchandising plan which is based on an agreement to provide shelf space. An authorized licensee or its designated representative shall not require any preferential treatment or benefit from, or enter into a collusive scheme with, a licenseholder as a condition of conducting one or more instructional tasting events, require a licenseholder to carry or continue to carry a brand or brands of the authorized licensee as a condition of conducting one or more instructional tasting events, or condition display or other merchandising plans that are based on agreements for the provision of shelf space on the conducting of one or more instructional tasting events. Any agreement, whether written or oral, entered into by and between a licenseholder and an authorized licensee or its designated representative that precludes the conducting of instructional tasting events on the premises of the licenseholder by any other authorized licensee is prohibited. A licenseholder or authorized licensee, or its designated representative, shall not use an instructional tasting event to circumvent any other requirements of this division. (2) In addition to any other remedies available under this division, upon a finding by the department of a failure to comply with this subdivision, the department shall suspend the instructional tasting license of the licenseholder and the privilege of the authorized licensee to conduct instructional events for not less than six months but for no more than one year. (l) The Legislature finds that it is necessary and proper to require a separation between manufacturing interests, wholesale interests, and retail interests in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in order to prevent suppliers from dominating local markets through vertical integration and to prevent excessive sales of alcoholic beverages produced by overly aggressive marketing techniques. The Legislature further finds that the exception established by this section to the general prohibition against tied interests must be limited to its express terms so as not to undermine the general prohibition, and intends that this section be construed accordingly. SEC. 5. Section 25503.9 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 25503.9. (a) Nothing in this division prohibits a winegrower, a beer and wine wholesaler that also holds an off-sale beer and wine retail license and only sells wine, or the holder of a limited off-sale retail wine license from giving or selling wine, a beer manufacturer from giving or selling beer, a distilled spirits manufacturer, rectifier, or a distilled spirits manufacturer's agent from giving or selling distilled spirits, or an importer general licensee from giving or selling beer, wine, or distilled spirits at prices other than those contained in schedules filed with the department, to any of the following: (1) A nonprofit charitable corporation or association exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (2) A nonprofit incorporated trade association that is exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and the members of which trade association are licensed under this division. However, the wine, beer, and distilled spirits shall be used solely for a convention or meeting of the nonprofit incorporated trade association. (3) A nonprofit corporation or association that is exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and is defined as a tax exempt organization under Section 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701i, 23701k, 23701 l , 23701r, or 23701w of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Wine, beer, and distilled spirits given or sold by a winegrower, beer manufacturer, distilled spirits manufacturer, distilled spirits manufacturer's agent, or importer general licensee pursuant to this subdivision may be furnished only in connection with public service or fundraising activities including picnics, parades, fairs, amateur sporting events, agricultural exhibitions, or similar events. (b) Nothing in this division prohibits a winegrower, a beer and wine wholesaler that also holds an off-sale beer and wine retail license and only sells wine, or the holder of a limited off-sale retail wine license from giving or selling wine, a beer manufacturer from giving or selling beer, a distilled spirits manufacturer, rectifier, or a distilled spirits manufacturer's agent from giving or selling distilled spirits, or a beer and wine wholesaler that also holds an importer's license from giving or selling beer, wine, or distilled spirits at prices other than those contained in schedules filed with the department, to any of the following: (1) A nonprofit charitable corporation or association exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (2) A nonprofit incorporated trade association that is exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and the members of which trade association are licensed under this division. However, the wine, beer, and distilled spirits shall be used solely for a convention or meeting of the nonprofit incorporated trade association. (3) A nonprofit corporation or association that is exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States and is defined as a tax exempt organization under Section 23701a, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, or 23701r of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Wine, beer, and distilled spirits given or sold by a winegrower, beer manufacturer, distilled spirits manufacturer, distilled spirits manufacturer's agent, or licensed importer pursuant to this subdivision may be furnished only in connection with public service or fundraising activities including picnics, parades, fairs, amateur sporting events, agricultural exhibitions, or similar events. SEC. 6. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.