STORAGE NAME: h4053.IAS
DATE: 3/10/2025
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FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 4053
TITLE: Duval County
SPONSOR(S): Duggan
COMPANION BILL: None
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Intergovernmental Affairs
Industries & Professional
Activities
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill provides an exception to the Beverage Law allowing the Department of Business and Professional
Regulation to issue special alcoholic beverages licenses to event centers that meet certain requirements in
Jacksonville’s Urban Transition Area.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill may have an indeterminant positive fiscal impact on local revenues from increases in sales tax revenue,
licensing revenue, and ad valorem revenue.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill provides an exception to the Beverage Law to allow the Department of Business and Professional
Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco(Division) to issue a special alcoholic beverages license to
event centers in the City of Jacksonville’s Urban Transition Area that meets certain requirements. The bill defines
an event center as a facility that hosts events with ticketed entrance and does not otherwise market itself as a food
service establishment. The bill further provides that a qualifying event center has an occupancy of 1,100 to 1,400
people and derives no less than 51 percent of its annual gross income from the sale of event center tickets, food,
and nonalcoholic beverages. (Section 1)
The bill provides the Division may revoke or suspend any license issued pursuant to the bill for violations of the
Beverage Law. (Section 1)
The bill has an effective date of upon becoming law. (Section 2)
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:
LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The bill may have an indeterminant positive fiscal impact on local revenues from increases in sales tax revenue,
licensing revenue, and ad valorem revenue.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Regulation of Alcoholic Beverages
Florida’s Beverage Law
1 regulates the manufacture, distribution, and sale of beer, wine, and liquor.
2 The Division of
Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (division) in the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
administers and enforces the Beverage Law.
3 Under the Beverage Law, there is not a limit on the number of
licenses DBPR may issue to businesses selling malt beverages or wine.
However, the number of licenses for selling
distilled spirits to one license per 7,500 residents within the county with a minimum of three licenses per county
that has approved the sale of intoxicating liquors.
4 These licenses are known as quota licenses and are the only
alcoholic beverage license type that is limited in number.
Special Licenses
There are several exceptions to the quota license limitation.
5 DBPR may issue a special license to businesses that
meet the requirements set out in one of the exceptions. The special license allows businesses to serve any alcoholic
beverages regardless of alcohol content. For example, a caterer may qualify for an exemption if it is licensed by the
Division of Hotels and Restaurants under ch. 509, F.S. and derives at least 51 percent of its gross food and beverage
revenue from the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages at each catered event.
6 Current law also allows DBPR to
issue special licenses to civic centers or sports arenas
7 and performing arts centers.
8
Urban Transition Area
The City of Jacksonville’s Urban Transition Area (UTA) is the area bounded by I-95 and Dellwood Avenue on the
north, the St. Johns River on the east and south, and Margaret Street to the west.
9 Current law provides for twelve
special zones in the City of Jacksonville, within which DBPR may issue special alcoholic beverage licenses to certain
types of establishments meeting certain revenue requirements.
10
Local Bill Forms
The Florida Constitution prohibits the passage of any special act unless a notice of intention to seek enactment of
the bill has been published as provided by general law or the act is conditioned to take effect only upon approval
by referendum vote of the electors in the area affected.
11 A legal advertisement of the proposed bill must be placed
in a newspaper of general circulation or published on a publicly accessible website
12 at least 30 days prior to the
introduction of the local bill in the House or Senate.
13 The bill was noticed in the Jacksonville Daily Record on
January 16, 2025.
The House local bill policy requires a completed and signed Local Bill Certification Form and Economic Impact
Statement Form be filed with the Clerk of the House at the time the local bill is filed or as soon thereafter as
1
S. 561.01(6), F.S., provides that the “The Beverage Law” means chs., 561, 562, 563, 564, 565, 567, and 568, F.S.
2
S. 561.14, F.S.
3
S. 561.02, F.S.
4
S. 561.20(1), F.S.
5
S. 561.20(2), F.S.
6
S. 561.20(2)(a)5., F.S. See Rule 61A-1.020, F.A.C.
7
S. 561.20(2)(h), F.S., authorizes the division to issue a license for consumption on the premises to any civic center authority
or sports arena authority authorized by state law or by a local government ordinance or which is otherwise owned by a
political subdivision of Florida.
8
S. 561.20(2)(j), F.S., authorizes the division to issue a license for consumption on the premises to a performing arts center for
consumption at an artistic, educational, cultural, promotional, civic, or charitable event authorized or offered by the center.
9
City of Jacksonville Ordinances, 656.399.19 Identification of Character Areas (last visited Feb. 27, 2025).
10
Ch. 87-471, as amended by chs. 2011-255, 2016-248, 2017-213, 2022-259, and 2023-342, Laws of Fla.
11
Art. III, s. 10, Fla. Const.
12
S. 50.0311(2), F.S.
13
S. 11.02, F.S. If there is no newspaper circulated throughout or published in the county and no publicly accessible website
has been designated, notice must be posted for at least 30 days in at least three public places in the county, one of which must
be at the courthouse. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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possible.
14 Under the policy, a committee or subcommittee may not consider a local bill unless these forms have
been filed. The following forms have been submitted for the bill:
Local Bill Certification Form
Economic Impact Statement Form
BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Intergovernmental Affairs
Subcommittee
Darden Jones
Industries & Professional Activities
Subcommittee
State Affairs Committee
14
Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee, Local Bill Policies and Procedures Manual, p. 11 (last visited Feb. 28, 2025).