New Jersey Senate Bill S1429

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24
• Failed: 2/12/24

Caption

Allows municipalities to transfer inactive alcoholic beverage retail licenses for use in certain redevelopment and revitalization areas; establishes procedure to transfer inactive retail licenses.

Impact

S1429 is positioned to have significant implications for state laws governing alcoholic beverage licenses. This includes a provision that would require licenses to be actively used, with specific conditions to prevent them from languishing in inactivity. If a license remains inactive for two consecutive terms, it faces expiration unless transferred or put to active use. Communities would be able to tailor the use of these licenses more effectively in accordance with local economic goals, thus potentially stimulating growth and development in key areas.

Summary

Senate Bill S1429 aims to amend existing law to facilitate the transfer of inactive plenary retail consumption licenses, which are licenses to sell alcoholic beverages, between municipalities in New Jersey. The bill establishes a procedure allowing municipalities to transfer these licenses as part of a broader economic redevelopment plan or for use in designated redevelopment, improvement, or revitalization areas. The intent behind the bill is to optimize the use of inactive licenses, ensuring they contribute positively to local economies, particularly in urban or economically depressed areas where revitalization is needed.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding S1429 center on the balance between local control and the need for regulation. Critics may argue that facilitating intermunicipal transfers of alcoholic beverage licenses could dilute local governance over such regulations, while proponents contend it injects needed flexibility into the economic landscapes of municipalities. The bill seeks to ensure licenses are not only available but actively contribute to local economies, so discussions may arise regarding how well these provisions address the needs of both local businesses and community governance.