Liquor Omnibus Legislation

By November 19, 2014Legislation

AN ACT

amending sections 4‑112, 4‑119, 4‑201, 4‑203, 4-203.02, 4‑205.02, 4‑205.05 and 4-205.06, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending sections 4‑206.01, 4‑207, 4‑207.01, 4-210.01, 4-224, 4-229, 4-241, 4-244, 4-244.05, 4‑262 and 9‑500.06, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending Laws 2010, chapter 85, section 4; relating to alcoholic beverages.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 4-112, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-112. Powers and duties of board and director of department of liquor licenses and control; investigations; county and municipal regulation

A. The board shall:

1. Grant and deny applications in accordance with the provisions of this title.

2. Adopt rules in order to carry out the provisions of this section.

3. Hear appeals and hold hearings as provided in this section.

B. Except as provided in subsection A of this section, the director shall administer the provisions of this title, including:

1. Adopting rules:

(a) For carrying out the provisions of this title.

(b) For the proper conduct of the business to be carried on under each specific type of spirituous liquor license.

(c) To enable and assist state officials and political subdivisions to collect taxes levied or imposed in connection with spirituous liquors.

(d) For the issuance and revocation of certificates of registration of retail agents, including provisions governing the shipping, storage and delivery of spirituous liquors by registered retail agents, the keeping of records and the filing of reports by registered retail agents.

(e) To establish requirements for licensees under section 4‑209, subsection B, paragraph 12.

2. Employing necessary personnel and fixing their compensation.

3. Keeping an index record which shall be a public record open to public inspection and shall contain the name and address of each licensee and the name and address of any person having an interest, either legal or equitable, in each license as shown by any written document, which document shall be placed on file in the office of the board.

4. Providing the board with such supplies and personnel as may be directed by the board.

5. Responding in writing to any law enforcement agency that submits an investigative report to the department relating to a violation of this title, setting forth what action, if any, the department has taken or intends to take on the report and, if the report lacks sufficient information or is otherwise defective for use by the department, what the agency must do to remedy the report.

6. Taking such steps as are necessary to maintain effective liaison with the department of public safety and all local law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of this title including the laws of this state against the consumption of spirituous liquor by persons under the legal drinking age.

7. Providing training to law enforcement agencies in the proper investigation and reporting of violations of this title.

C. The director shall establish within the department a separate investigations unit which has as its sole responsibility the investigation of compliance with this title including the investigation of licensees alleged to have sold or distributed spirituous liquor in any form to persons under the legal drinking age. Investigations conducted by this unit may include covert undercover investigations.

D. All employees of the department of liquor licenses and control, except members of the state liquor board and the director of the department, shall be employed by the department in the manner prescribed by the department of administration.

E. The director may enter into a contract or agreement with any public agency for any joint or cooperative action as provided for by title 11, chapter 7, article 3.

F. The board or the director may take evidence, administer oaths or affirmations, issue subpoenas requiring attendance and testimony of witnesses, cause depositions to be taken and require by subpoena duces tecum the production of books, papers and other documents which are necessary for the enforcement of this title. Proceedings held during the course of a confidential investigation are exempt from title 38, chapter 3, article 3.1. If a person refuses to obey a subpoena or fails to answer questions as provided by this subsection, the board or the director may apply to the superior court in the manner provided in section 12‑2212. The board or director may serve subpoenas by personal service or certified mail, return receipt requested.

G. The director may:

1. Examine books, records and papers of a licensee.

2. Require applicants, licensees, employees who serve, sell or furnish spirituous liquors to retail customers, managers and managing agents to take training courses approved by the director in spirituous liquor handling and spirituous liquor laws and rules. The director shall adopt rules that set standards for approving training courses.

3. Delegate to employees of the department authority to exercise powers of the director in order to administer the department.

4. Regulate signs that advertise a spirituous liquor product at licensed retail premises.

5. Cause to be removed from the marketplace spirituous liquor that may be contaminated.

6. Regulate the age and conduct of erotic entertainers at licensed premises. The age limitation governing these erotic entertainers may be different from other employees of the licensee.

7. Issue and enforce cease and desist orders against any person or entity that sells beer, wine or spirituous liquor without an appropriate license or permit.

8. Confiscate wines carrying a label including a reference to Arizona or any Arizona city, town or place unless at least seventy‑five per cent by volume of the grapes used in making the wine were grown in this state.

9. Accept and expend private grants of monies, gifts and devises for conducting educational programs for parents and students on the repercussions of underage alcohol consumption. State general fund monies shall not be expended for the purposes of this paragraph. If the director does not receive sufficient monies from private sources to carry out the purposes of this paragraph, the director shall not provide the educational programs prescribed in this paragraph. Grant monies received pursuant to this paragraph are nonlapsing and do not revert to the state general fund at the close of the fiscal year.

10. Procure fingerprint scanning equipment and provide fingerprint services to license applicants and licensees. Until January 1, 2015, the department may charge a fee for providing these services.

11. Accept electronic signatures on all department and licensee forms and documents and applications. The director may adopt requirements that would require facsimile signatures to be followed by original signatures within a specified time period.

H. A county or municipality may enact and enforce ordinances regulating the age and conduct of erotic entertainers at licensed premises in a manner at least as restrictive as rules adopted by the director. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 4-119, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-119. Records

A licensee shall keep records of licensed business activity in a manner and location and for such duration as prescribed by the director. The rules of the director shall require that each on-sale retailer maintain at the licensed premises a copy of all required records including a current log of all persons employed at the licensed premises including each employee’s full legal name, date and place of birth, address and responsibilities. A licensee shall retain records for two years. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 4-201, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-201. Licensing; application procedure in city, town or county; burden of proof

A. A person desiring a license to manufacture, sell or deal in spirituous liquors shall make application to the director on a form prescribed and furnished by the director.

B. A person desiring a license within an incorporated city or town shall make the application in triplicate and shall file the copies with the director. The director shall remit two copies to the city or town clerk. The city or town clerk shall immediately file one copy in the clerk’s office and post the other for a period of twenty days in a conspicuous place on the front of the premises where the business is proposed to be conducted, with a statement requiring any natural person who is a bona fide resident residing or owning or leasing property within a one mile radius from the premises proposed to be licensed, and who is in favor of or opposed to the issuance of the license, to file written arguments in favor of or opposed to the issuance of the license with the clerk within twenty days after the date of posting. The written argument shall contain the natural person’s complete name, street address or post office box address and written or electronic signature. If the written arguments are filed by a person on behalf of a corporation or other legal entity or association, the written arguments must be accompanied by a copy of the entity’s organizing document, a designation of the office or position that the person holds within the organization and a copy of the written appointment of the person to speak on behalf of the organization. If the written arguments are filed by a neighborhood association, block watch or other unincorporated association, written arguments must be accompanied by a letter of authority designating that person as a spokesperson. The posting shall contain substantially the following:

Notice

A hearing on a liquor license application shall be held before the local governing body at the following date, time and place:

(Insert date, time and address)

The local governing body will recommend to the state liquor board whether the board should grant or deny the license. The state liquor board may hold a hearing to consider the recommendation of the local governing body. Any person residing or owning or leasing property within a one‑mile radius may contact the state liquor board in writing to register as a protestor. To request information regarding procedures before the board and notice of any board hearings regarding this application, contact the state liquor board at:

(Insert address and telephone number).

No arguments shall be filed or accepted by the city or town clerk thereafter. This subsection shall not be construed to prevent a bona fide resident residing or owning or leasing property within a one‑mile radius from the premises proposed to be licensed from testifying in favor of or in opposition to the issuance of the license, regardless of whether or not the person is a user or nonuser of spirituous liquor.

C. The governing body of the city, town or county shall then enter an order recommending approval or disapproval within sixty days after filing of the application and shall file a certified copy of the order with the director. If the recommendation is for disapproval, a statement of the specific reasons containing a summary of the testimony or other evidence supporting the recommendation for disapproval shall be attached to the order. All petitions submitted to the governing body within the twenty‑day period for filing protests shall be transmitted to the director with the certified copy of the order.

D. If a person applies for a license to conduct a spirituous liquor business outside an incorporated city or town, the director shall remit two copies of the application to the clerk of the board of supervisors of the county where the applicant desires to do business, and the proceedings by the clerk and board of supervisors shall be as provided for cities and towns.

E. Upon receipt of an application for a spirituous liquor license, the director shall set the application for hearing by the board upon a date following the expiration of the time fixed for the submitting of the certified order by the governing body of the city or town or the board of supervisors. If the city or town or the county recommends approval of the license no hearing is required unless the director, the board or any aggrieved party requests a hearing on the grounds that the public convenience and the best interest of the community will not be substantially served if a license is issued. Any natural person residing or owning or leasing property within a one mile radius of the proposed location may file a written protest with the director no later than fifteen calendar days following action by the local governing body or sixty days after filing the application. The written argument shall contain the natural person’s complete name, street address or post office box address and written or electronic signature. If the written arguments are filed by a person on behalf of a corporation or other legal entity or association, the written arguments must be accompanied by a copy of the entity’s organizing document, a designation of the office or position that the person holds within the organization and a copy of the written appointment of the person to speak on behalf of the organization. If the written arguments are filed by a neighborhood association, block watch or other unincorporated association, written arguments must be accompanied by a letter of authority designating that person as a spokesperson. If no hearing is requested by the director, the board or any aggrieved party, the application may be approved by the director. If the recommendation is for disapproval of an application or if no recommendation is received, the board shall hold a hearing. If the city, town or county recommends approval of the license pursuant to subsection C of this section, the director may cancel the hearing and issue the license unless the board or any aggrieved party requests a hearing. If the reason for the protest is clearly removed or satisfied the director may request the board cancel the hearing. The certified order, the reasons contained in the order and the summary of the testimony and other evidence supporting the city, town or county disapproval of the recommendation shall be read into the record before the board and shall be considered as evidence by the board. The board shall consider the certified order together with other facts and a report of the director relating to the qualifications of the applicant. If the governing body of the city or town or the board of supervisors fails to return to the director, as provided in subsections C and D of this section, its order of approval or disapproval, the board shall proceed with further consideration of the application by holding an administrative hearing. An application shall be approved or disapproved within one hundred five days after filing of the application. If, after a hearing by the board where a license has been approved, a formal written order is not entered within thirty days after the hearing, the decision of the board shall be deemed entered on the thirtieth day after the hearing.

F. A hearing may be conducted by an administrative law judge at the request of the board to make findings and recommendations for use by the board in determining whether to grant or deny a license. The administrative law judge shall submit a report of findings to the board within twenty days of the hearing. The board may affirm, reverse, adopt, modify, supplement, amend or reject the administrative law judge’s report in whole or in part.

G. Except for a person to person transfer of a transferable license for use at the same location and as otherwise provided in section 4‑203, subsection A, in all proceedings before the governing body of a city or town, the board of supervisors of a county or the board, the applicant bears the burden of showing that the public convenience requires and that the best interest of the community will be substantially served by the issuance of a license.

H. In order to prevent the proliferation of spirituous liquor licenses the department may deny a license to a business on the grounds that such business is inappropriate for the sale of spirituous liquor. An inappropriate business is one that cannot clearly demonstrate that the sale of spirituous liquor is directly connected to its primary purpose and that the sale of spirituous liquor is not merely incidental to its primary purpose.

I. The board shall adopt, by rule, guidelines setting forth criteria for use in determining whether the public convenience requires and the best interest of the community will be substantially served by the issuance or transfer of a liquor license at the location applied for. These guidelines shall govern the recommendations and other approvals of the department and the local governing authority.

J. If the governing body of a city or town recommends disapproval by a two‑thirds vote of the members present and voting on an application for the issuance or transfer of a spirituous liquor license that, if approved, would result in a license being issued at a location either having no license or having a license of a different series, the application shall not be approved unless the board decides to approve the application by a two‑thirds vote of the members present and voting. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 4-203, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-203. Licenses; issuance; transfer; reversion to state

A. A spirituous liquor license shall be issued only after satisfactory showing of the capability, qualifications and reliability of the applicant and, with the exception of wholesaler, producer, government or club licensees, that the public convenience requires and that the best interest of the community will be substantially served by the issuance. If an application is filed for the issuance of a nontransferable license, other than for a microbrewery license or a domestic farm winery license, for a location that on the date the application is filed has a valid license of the same series issued at that location, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the public convenience and best interest of the community at that location was established at the time the location was previously licensed. The presumption may be rebutted by competent contrary evidence. The presumption shall not apply once the licensed location has not been in use for more than one hundred eighty days and The presumption shall not extend to the Personal qualifications of the applicant.

B. The license shall be to manufacture, sell or deal in spirituous liquors only at the place and in the manner provided in the license. A separate license shall be issued for each specific business, and each shall specify:

1. The particular spirituous liquors which that the licensee is authorized to manufacture, sell or deal in.

2. The place of business for which issued.

3. The purpose for which that the liquors may be manufactured or sold.

C. A spirituous liquor license issued to a bar, a liquor store or a beer and wine bar shall be transferable as to any permitted location within the same county, provided such transfer meets the requirements of an original application. Such spirituous liquor license may be transferred to a person qualified to be a licensee, provided such transfer is pursuant to either judicial decree, nonjudicial foreclosure of a legal or equitable lien, a sale of the license, a bona fide bulk sale of the entire business and stock in trade, or such other bona fide transactions as may be provided for by rule. Any change in ownership of the business of a licensee, directly or indirectly, as defined by rule is deemed a transfer.

D. All applications for a new license pursuant to section 4‑201 or for a transfer to a new location pursuant to subsection C of this section shall be filed with and determined by the director, except when the governing body of the city or town or the board of supervisors receiving such application pursuant to section 4‑201 orders disapproval of such application or makes no recommendation or when the director, the state liquor board or any aggrieved party requests a hearing. Such application shall then be presented to the state liquor board, and the new license or transfer shall not become effective unless approved by the state liquor board.

E. A person who assigns, surrenders, transfers or sells control of a business which has a spirituous liquor license shall notify the director within fifteen thirty business days after the assignment, surrender, transfer or sale. No spirituous liquor license shall be leased or subleased. A concession agreement entered into under section 4‑205.03 is not considered a lease or sublease in violation of this section.

F. If a person other than those persons originally licensed acquires control over a license or licensee, the person shall file notice of the acquisition with the director within fifteen thirty business days after such acquisition of control and a list of officers, directors or other controlling persons on a form prescribed by the director. All officers, directors or other controlling persons shall meet the qualifications for licensure as prescribed by this title. On request, the director shall conduct a preinvestigation prior to before the assignment, sale or transfer of control of a license or licensee, the reasonable costs of which, not to exceed one thousand dollars, shall be borne by the applicant. The preinvestigation shall determine whether the qualifications for licensure as prescribed by this title are met. On receipt of notice of an acquisition of control or request of a preinvestigation, the director shall forward the notice within fifteen days to the local governing body of the city or town, if the licensed premises is in an incorporated area, or the county, if the licensed premises is in an unincorporated area. The local governing body of the city, town or county may protest the acquisition of control within sixty days based on the capability, reliability and qualification of the person acquiring control. If the director does not receive any protests, the director may protest the acquisition of control or approve the acquisition of control based on the capability, reliability and qualification of the person acquiring control. Any protest shall be set for a hearing before the board. Any transfer shall be approved or disapproved within one hundred five days of the filing of the notice of acquisition and of control. The person who has acquired control of a license or licensee has the burden of an original application at the hearing, and the board shall make its determination pursuant to section 4‑202 and this section with respect to capability, reliability and qualification.

G. A licensee who holds a license in nonuse status for more than five months shall be required to pay a one hundred dollar surcharge for each month thereafter. The surcharge shall be paid at the time the license is returned to active status. A license automatically reverts to the state after being held in continuous nonuse in excess of thirty‑six months. The director may waive the surcharge and may extend the time period provided in this subsection for good cause. A license shall not be deemed to have gone into active status if the license is transferred to a location that at the time of or immediately before the transfer had an active license of the same type, unless the licenses are under common ownership or control.

H. A restructuring of a licensee’s business is an acquisition of control pursuant to subsection F of this section and is a transfer of a spirituous liquor license and not the issuance of a new spirituous liquor license if both of the following apply:

1. All of the controlling persons of the licensee and the new business entity are identical.

2. There is no change in control or beneficial ownership.

I. If subsection H of this section applies, the licensee’s history of violations of this title is the history of the new business entity. The director may prescribe a form and shall require the applicant to provide the necessary information to ensure compliance with this subsection and subsections F and G of this section.

J. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, the holder of a retail license having off‑sale privileges may deliver spirituous liquor off of the licensed premises in connection with the sale of spirituous liquor. The licensee may maintain a delivery service and shall be liable for any violation committed in connection with any sale or delivery of spirituous liquor, provided that such delivery is made by an employee who is at least twenty‑one years of age. The retail licensee shall collect payment for the price of the spirituous liquor no later than at the time of delivery. The director shall adopt rules that set operational limits for the delivery of spirituous liquors by the holder of a retail license having off‑sale privileges. For the purposes of this subsection, an independent contractor or the employee of an independent contractor is deemed to be an employee of the licensee when making a sale or delivery of spirituous liquor for the licensee.

K. Except as provided in subsection J of this section, nonretail Arizona licensees may transport spirituous liquors for themselves in vehicles owned, leased or rented by such licensee.

L. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, an off‑sale retail licensee may provide consumer tasting of wines off of the licensed premises.

M. The director may adopt reasonable rules to protect the public interest and prevent abuse by licensees of the activities permitted such licensees by subsections J and L of this section.

N. Failure to pay any surcharge prescribed by subsection G of this section or failure to report the period of nonuse of a license shall be grounds for revocation of the license or grounds for any other sanction provided by this title. The director may consider extenuating circumstances if control of the license is acquired by another party in determining whether or not to impose any sanctions under this subsection.

O. If a licensed location has not been in use for two years, the location must requalify for a license pursuant to subsection A of this section and shall meet the same qualifications required for issuance of a new license except when the director deems that the nonuse of the location was due to circumstances beyond the licensee’s control.

P. If the licensee’s interest is forfeited pursuant to section 4‑210, subsection L, the location shall requalify for a license pursuant to subsection A of this section and shall meet the same qualifications required for issuance of a new license except when a bona fide lienholder demonstrates mitigation pursuant to section 4‑210, subsection K. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 4-203.02, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-203.02. Special event license; rules

A. The director may, subject to the approval of the board of supervisors of a county for events to be held in an unincorporated area or the governing body of a city or town for events to be held in a city or town, issue on a temporary basis:

1. A daily on‑sale special event license authorizing the sale of spirituous liquor for consumption on the premises where sold. The fee for the license is twenty‑five dollars per day. The director shall transfer the monies collected to the department of health services for the purpose prescribed in title 36, chapter 18, article 2.

2. A daily off‑sale special event license authorizing a charitable auction for the sale of spirituous liquor for consumption off premises.

B. The director may only issue the special event license to a political party or campaign committee supporting a candidate for public office or a ballot measure, an organization formed for a specific charitable or civic purpose, a fraternal organization in existence for over five years with a regular membership or a religious organization.

C. An organization selling spirituous liquor under a special event license pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section shall purchase such spirituous liquor from the holder of a license authorized to sell off‑sale, or, in the case of a nonprofit organization which has obtained a special event license for the purpose of charitable fund raising activities, the nonprofit organization may receive the spirituous liquor from a wholesaler as a donation, except that a licensee licensed pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section may receive spirituous liquor from a donor when the donor receives no remuneration or payment of any kind, directly or indirectly, other than any tax benefits that might result.

D. An organization that is issued a license pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section shall receive at least seventy‑five per cent of the gross receipts of the auction. Up to twenty‑five per cent of the gross receipts of a special event auction conducted pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section may be used to pay reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in connection with the auction. All expenses shall be supported by written contracts, invoices or receipts, which shall be made available to the director on request.

E. The director may adopt those rules the director determines are necessary to implement and administer this section including a limitation on the number of times during a calendar year a qualified organization may apply for and be issued a license under this section. The qualified organization issued a license pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section must receive at least twenty‑five per cent of the gross revenues of the special events, which shall be supported by a contract between the parties to be supplied at the time of application.

F. An organization that is issued a license pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section shall not sell more than twenty cases of spirituous liquor annually under a special event license.

G. Section 4‑201 does not apply to the licenses provided for under this section.

H. A licensed wholesaler may donate spirituous liquor directly to an organization that is issued a license pursuant to subsection A. The licensed wholesaler shall in such instances issue a net zero cost billing invoice in the name of the special event licensee. All licensees making or receiving spirituous liquor donations remain subject to the applicable limitations and requirements set forth in this title and in the rules promulgated by the department.

I. A licensed wholesaler may temporarily leave a delivery vehicle and other items of equipment necessary for the sale or service of spirituous liquor on the premises of a licensed special event for the duration of the event and up to one business day before and after the event.

J. A licensed wholesaler may leave spirituous liquor products at a special event if the products are properly described on a preliminary billing invoice from the wholesaler that is issued in the name of the off-sale retailer which also names the special event licensee. The licensed wholesaler has up to five business days after the special event ends to make any necessary billing adjustments and issue a final billing invoice to the off‑sale retailer which also names the special event licensee. END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Section 4-205.02, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-205.02. Restaurant license; issuance; regulatory provisions; expiration; definitions

A. The director may issue a restaurant license to any restaurant in this state that is regularly open for the serving of food to guests for compensation and that has suitable kitchen facilities connected with the restaurant for keeping, cooking and preparing foods required for ordinary meals.

B. The director shall issue the license in the name of the restaurant upon application for the license by the owner or lessee of the restaurant, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified to hold a spirituous liquor license. The holder of such license is subject to the penalties prescribed for any violation of the law relating to alcoholic beverages.

C. The holder of a restaurant license may sell and serve spirituous liquors solely for consumption on the licensed premises. For the purpose of this subsection, “licensed premises” may include rooms, areas or locations in which the restaurant normally sells or serves spirituous liquors pursuant to regular operating procedures and practices and that are contiguous to the restaurant or a noncontiguous patio pursuant to section 4-101, paragraph 26. For the purposes of this subsection, a restaurant licensee must submit proof of tenancy or permission from the landowner or lessor for all property to be included in the licensed premises.

D. In addition to other grounds prescribed in this title on which a license may be revoked, the director may require the holder of a restaurant license issued pursuant to this section to surrender the license in any case in which the licensee ceases to operate as a restaurant, as prescribed in subsection A of this section. The surrender of a license pursuant to this subsection does not prevent the director from revoking the license for other grounds prescribed in this title or for making deliberate material misrepresentations to the department regarding the licensee’s equipment, service or entertainment items or seating capacity in applying for the restaurant license.

E. Neither the director nor the board may initially issue a restaurant license if either finds that there is sufficient evidence that the operation will not satisfy the criteria adopted by the director for issuing a restaurant license described in section 4‑209, subsection B, paragraph 12. The director shall issue a restaurant license only if the applicant has submitted a plan for the operation of the restaurant. The plan shall be completed on forms provided by the department and shall include listings of all restaurant equipment and service items, the restaurant seating capacity and other information requested by the department to substantiate that the restaurant will operate in compliance with this section.

F. The holder of the license described in section 4‑209, subsection B, paragraph 12 who intends to alter the seating capacity or dimensions of a restaurant facility shall notify the department in advance on forms provided by the department.

G. Until January 1, 2015, the director may charge a fee for site inspections conducted before the issuance of a restaurant license.

G. H. For the purposes of this section:

1. “Gross revenue” means the revenue derived from all sales of food and spirituous liquor on the licensed premises, regardless of whether the sales of spirituous liquor are made under a restaurant license issued pursuant to this section or under any other license that has been issued for the premises pursuant to this article.

2. “Restaurant” means an establishment that derives at least forty per cent of its gross revenue from the sale of food, including sales of food for consumption off the licensed premises if the amount of these sales included in the calculation of gross revenue from the sale of food does not exceed fifteen per cent of all gross revenue of the restaurant. END_STATUTE

Sec. 7. Section 4-205.05, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-205.05. Permit to dispose of seized liquor

A. The board director may issue a temporary permit authorizing the disposal at public auction of spirituous liquor which that has been seized by any agency of this state, the federal government or any political subdivision of this state or the federal government pursuant to statute. A bid at a public auction shall not be accepted from a licensee if the spirituous liquors offered for sale at the auction were seized from that licensee. The board director shall issue the permit only if presented with proper documents of seizure by the appropriate official. The director may dispose of seized spirituous liquor in whole or in part by providing the spirituous liquor to law enforcement for training purposes only.

B. Spirituous liquor with a stated expiration date on the label shall not be offered for sale at public auction and shall either be destroyed or disposed of as provided in this section. The licensed wholesaler that distributes the spirituous liquor brand in that sales territory may, but is not required to, accept a return of the liquor at no cost for disposal or to enable it to be returned to the supplier. END_STATUTE

Sec. 8. Section 4-205.06, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-205.06. Hotel or motel minibars; rules; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other statute, a hotel or motel may sell spirituous liquor in sealed containers in individual portions to its registered guests at any time by means of a minibar located in the guest rooms of those registered guests, if all of the following conditions are met:

1. Access to a minibar in a particular guest room is provided, whether by furnishing a key, magnetic card or similar device, only to a registered guest of legal drinking age, if any, registered to stay in the guest room, and the key, magnetic card or similar device is not furnished to a guest between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

2. 1. Before providing a key, magnetic card or other similar device required to attain access to the minibar in a particular guest room to the registered guest, or before otherwise providing access to the minibar to the registered guest, the licensee verifies that each registered guest to whom a key, magnetic card or similar device is provided or to whom access is otherwise provided is not a person under the legal drinking age.

3. 2. All employees handling the spirituous liquors to be placed in the minibar in any guest room, including an employee who inventories or restocks and replenishes the spirituous liquors in the minibar, are at least nineteen years of age.

4. 3. The minibar is not replenished or restocked with spirituous liquor between the hours of 1:00 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

5. 4. The minibar is located on the premises of a person who has been issued an on‑sale retailer’s license.

6. 5. The minibar contains no more than thirty individual portions of spirituous liquor at any one time.

B. A minibar may be part of another cabinet or similar device, whether refrigerated in whole or in part or nonrefrigerated, from which nonalcoholic beverages or food may be purchased by the guests in hotel or motel guest rooms. The portion of the cabinet or similar device in which spirituous liquors are stored shall comply with the requirements of this section.

C. The director may prescribe rules to regulate the use of a minibar including rules on the size of containers of spirituous liquors and may by rule reduce from thirty the number of containers of spirituous liquor placed in the minibar.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. “Hotel” or “motel” means an establishment that is licensed to sell spirituous liquors and that contains guest room accommodations with respect to which the predominant relationship existing between the occupants of the rooms and the owner or operator of the establishment is that of innkeeper and guest. For the purposes of this paragraph, the existence of other legal relationships as between some occupants and the owner or operator is immaterial.

2. “Minibar” means a closed container, either refrigerated in whole or in part or nonrefrigerated, where access to the interior is restricted by means of a locking device that requires the use of a key, magnetic card or similar device. END_STATUTE

Sec. 9. Section 4-206.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-206.01. Bar, beer and wine bar or liquor store licenses; number permitted; fee; sampling privileges

A. The director shall determine the total number of spirituous liquor licenses by type and in each county. The director shall publish a listing of that information as determined by the director.

B. In each county, the director shall issue additional bar, beer and wine bar or liquor store licenses at the rate of one of each type for each additional ten thousand person increase over the population in that county as of July 1, 2010. For the purposes of this subsection, the population of a county is deemed to be the population estimated by the department of economic security office of employment and population statistics within the Arizona department of administration as of July 1 of each year.

C. A person issued a license authorized by subsection B of this section shall pay an additional issuance fee equal to the license’s fair market value that shall be paid to the state general fund. The fair market value shall be defined to mean the mean value of licenses of the same type sold on the open market in the same county during the prior twelve months, but if there are not three or more such sales then the fair market value shall be determined by three appraisals furnished to the department by independent professional appraisers employed by the director.

D. The director shall employ professional appraisal services to determine the fair market value of bar, beer and wine bar or liquor store licenses.

E. If more than one person applies for an available license, a priority of applicants shall be determined by a random selection method prescribed by the director.

F. After January 1, 2011, bar licenses and beer and wine bar licenses shall be issued and used only if the clear primary purpose and actual primary use is for on-sale retailer privileges. The off-sale privileges associated with a bar license and a beer and wine bar license shall be limited to a minor use, which is clearly auxiliary to the active primary on-sale privilege. A bar license or a beer and wine bar license shall not be issued or used if the associated off-sale use, by total retail spirituous liquor sales, exceeds ten thirty per cent of the sales price of on-sale spirituous liquors by the licensee at that location. For dual licenses issued pursuant to a single site or where a second license is issued to a site which already has a spirituous liquor license, other than settlement licenses issued pursuant to laws 2010, chapter 85, section 4, as amended by this act, the applicant shall have the burden of establishing that public convenience and the best interest of the community will be served by the issuance of the license.

G. The director may issue a beer and wine store license to the holder of a beer and wine bar license simultaneously at the same premises. An applicant for a beer and wine bar license and a beer and wine store license may consolidate the application and may apply for both licenses at the same time. The holder of each license shall fully comply with all applicable provisions of this title. A beer and wine bar license and beer and wine store license on the same premises shall be owned by and issued to the same licensee.

H. The director may issue a beer and wine bar license to the holder of a liquor store license issued simultaneously at the same premises. An applicant for a liquor store license and a beer and wine bar license may consolidate the application and may apply for both licenses at the same time. The holder of each license shall fully comply with all applicable provisions of this title. A liquor store license and a beer and wine bar license on the same premises shall be owned by and issued to the same licensee.

I. The director may issue a restaurant license to the holder of a beer and wine bar license issued simultaneously at the same premises. An applicant for a restaurant license and a beer and wine bar license may consolidate the application and may apply for both licenses at the same time. The holder of each license shall fully comply with all applicable provisions of this title. A restaurant license and a beer and wine bar license on the same premises shall be owned by and issued to the same licensee. The limitation set forth in subsection F of this section with respect to the off‑sale privileges of the beer and wine bar licenses shall be measured against the on-sales of beer and wine sales of the establishment. For the purposes of compliance with section 4-205.02, subsection G H, paragraph 2, it shall be conclusively presumed that all on premises sales of spirituous liquors are made under the authority of the restaurant license.

J. An applicant for a liquor store license or a beer and wine store license and the licensee of a liquor store license or a beer and wine store license may apply for sampling privileges associated with the license. A beer and wine store premises shall contain at least five thousand square feet in order to be eligible for sampling PRIVILEGES. A person desiring a sampling privilege associated with a liquor store license shall apply to the director on a form prescribed and furnished by the director. The application for sampling privileges may be filed for an existing license or may be submitted with an initial license application. The request for sampling approval, the review of the application and the issuance of approval shall be conducted under the same procedures for the issuance of a spirituous liquor license prescribed in section 4-201. After a sampling privilege has been issued for a liquor store license or a beer and wine store license, the sampling privilege shall be noted on the license itself and in the records of the department. The sampling rights associated with a license are not transferable. Until January 1, 2015, the director may charge a fee for processing the application for sampling privileges and a renewal fee as provided in this section. A city or town shall not charge any fee relating to the issuance or renewal of a sampling privilege. Notwithstanding section 4-244, paragraph 19, a liquor store licensee that holds a license with sampling privileges may provide spirituous liquor sampling subject to the following requirements:

1. Any open product shall be kept locked by the licensee when the sampling area is not staffed.

2. The licensee is otherwise subject to all other provisions of this title. The licensee is liable for any violation of this title committed in connection with the sampling.

3. The licensed retailer shall make sales of sampled products from the licensed retail premises.

4. The licensee shall not charge any customer for the sampling of any products.

5. The sampling shall be conducted under the supervision of an employee of a sponsoring distiller, vintner, brewer, wholesaler or retail licensee.

6. Accurate records of sampling products dispensed shall be retained by the licensee.

7. Sampling shall be limited to three ounces of beer or cooler‑type products, one ounce of wine and one ounce of distilled spirits per person, per brand, per day.

8. The sampling shall be conducted only on the licensed premises.

K. If a beer and wine bar license and a beer and wine store license are issued at the same premises, for purposes of reporting liquor purchases under each license, all spirituous beverages purchased for sampling are conclusively presumed to be purchased under the beer and wine bar license and all spirituous liquor sold off-sale are conclusively presumed to be purchased under the beer and wine store license.

L. The director may issue a beer and wine store license to the holder of a bar license simultaneously at the same premises. An applicant for a beer and wine store license and a bar license may consolidate the application and may apply for both licenses at the same time. The holder of each license shall fully comply with all applicable provisions of this title. A beer and wine store license and a bar license on the same premises shall be owned by and issued to the same licensee. If a beer and wine store license and a bar license are issued at the same premises, for purposes of reporting liquor purchases under each license, all off-sale beer and wine sales are conclusively presumed to be purchased under the beer and wine store license. END_STATUTE

Sec. 10. Section 4-207, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-207. Restrictions on licensing premises near school or church buildings; definitions

A. A retailer’s license shall not be issued for any premises which are, at the time the license application is received by the director, within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreational area adjacent to such school building. This section does not prohibit the renewal of a valid license issued pursuant to this title if, on the date that the original application for the license is filed, the premises were not within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreational area adjacent to such school building.

B. Subsection A of this section does not apply to a:

1. Restaurant issued a license pursuant to section 4‑205.02.

2. Special event license issued pursuant to section 4‑203.02.

3. Hotel-motel issued a license pursuant to section 4‑205.01.

4. Government license issued pursuant to section 4‑205.03.

5. Fenced playing area of a golf course issued a license pursuant to this article.

C. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section:

1. A spirituous liquor license which is validly issued and which is, on the date an application for a transfer is filed, within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreational area adjacent to such school building may be transferred person to person pursuant to sections 4‑201, 4‑202 and 4‑203 and remains in full force until the license is terminated in any manner, unless renewed pursuant to section 4‑209, subsection A.

2. A person may be issued a spirituous liquor license pursuant to sections 4‑201, 4‑202 and 4‑203 of the same class for premises which have a nontransferable spirituous liquor license validly issued if the premises are, on the date an application for such license is filed, within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreational area adjacent to such school building and the license remains in full force until the license is terminated in any manner, unless renewed pursuant to section 4‑209, subsection A.

3. A person may be issued a liquor store license pursuant to sections 4‑201, 4‑202, 4‑203 and 4‑206.01 for premises which have a beer and wine store license validly issued if the premises, on the date an application for such license is filed, are within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreational area adjacent to such school building and the license remains in full force until the license is terminated in any manner, unless renewed pursuant to section 4‑209, subsection A.

4. The governing body of a city or town, on a case‑by‑case basis, may approve an exemption from the distance restrictions prescribed in this section for a church or charter school that is located in an area that is designated an entertainment district by the governing body of that city or town. A city or town with a population of at least five hundred thousand persons may designate no more than three entertainment districts within the boundaries of the city or town pursuant to this paragraph. A city or town with a population of at least two hundred thousand persons but less than five hundred thousand persons may designate no more than two entertainment districts within the boundaries of the city or town pursuant to this paragraph. A city or town with a population of less than two hundred thousand persons may designate no more than one entertainment district within the boundaries of the city or town pursuant to this paragraph.

5. A person may be issued a beer and wine store license pursuant to sections 4-201, 4-202, 4-203 and 4-206.01 for premises that have a liquor store license validly issued if the premises, on the date of an application for which such license is filed, are within three hundred horizontal feet of a church, within three hundred horizontal feet of a public or private school building with kindergarten programs or any of grades one through twelve or within three hundred horizontal feet of a fenced recreation area adjacent to such school building and the license remains in full force until the license is terminated in any manner, unless renewed pursuant to section 4-209, subsection A.

D. For the purposes of this section:

1. “Church” means a building which is erected or converted for use as a church, where services are regularly convened, which is used primarily for religious worship and schooling and which a reasonable person would conclude is a church by reason of design, signs or architectural or other features.

2. “Entertainment district” means a specific contiguous area that is designated an entertainment district by a resolution adopted by the governing body of a city or town, that consists of no more than one square mile, that is no less than one-eighth of a mile in width and that contains a significant number of entertainment, artistic and cultural venues, including music halls, concert facilities, theaters, arenas, stadiums, museums, studios, galleries, restaurants, bars and other related facilities. END_STATUTE

Sec. 11. Section 4-207.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-207.01. Submission of floor plan required; alteration of licensed premises; ingress and egress to off-sale package sales in on-sale licensed premises

A. No licensee of premises approved for transfer or an original location of on‑sale spirituous liquor license shall open such licensed premises to the public for sale of spirituous liquor until the licensee shall first have filed with the director floor plans and diagrams completely disclosing and designating the physical arrangement of the licensed premises, including whether the licensee intends to sell spirituous liquor by means of a drive-through or other physical feature of the licensed premises that allows a customer to purchase spirituous liquor without leaving the customer’s vehicle, and shall have secured the written approval of the director to so open and operate such premises.

B. No licensee shall alter or change the physical arrangement of his licensed premises so as to encompass greater space or the use of different or additional entrances, openings or accommodations than the space, entrance or entrances, openings or accommodations offered to the public at the time of issuance of the licensee’s license or a prior written approval of the licensed premises, without first having filed with the director floor plans and diagrams completely disclosing and designating the proposed physical alterations of the licensed premises, including the addition of a drive‑through or other physical feature to the licensed premises that allows a customer to purchase spirituous liquor without leaving the customer’s vehicle, and shall have secured the written approval by the director. This subsection shall apply to any person to person transfer of the licensed premises. Until January 1, 2015, the director may charge a fee for review of floor plans and diagrams submitted by a licensee pursuant to this section.

C. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit in any way off‑sale package sales in on‑sale licensed premises, but the permission to open the premises to the public under subsections A and B of this section shall not be granted if the licensee under the privilege provided for off‑sale under an on‑sale license proposes to maintain an off‑sale operation with ingress and egress directly from the outside of such premises to such off‑sale operation other than the ingress and egress provided for the on‑sale operation of the licensed premises.

D. The provisions of this section shall apply to all applications, transfers and alterations. END_STATUTE

Sec. 12. Section 4-210.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-210.01. Authority to impose civil penalty; training

A. In lieu of or in addition to the suspension or revocation of or refusal to renew a license authorized by section 4‑210, subsection A, the director may impose a civil penalty of not less than two hundred nor more than three thousand dollars for each violation. The licensee is entitled to appeal the decision of the director to the board. The board may affirm, modify or reverse the finding and decision of the director and may decrease the civil penalty imposed by the director.

B. The director may establish payment of the civil penalty as authorized in subsection A of this section, by the licensee in the form of a single payment or installment payments.

B. C. In addition to the imposition of any other penalty authorized by this title, the director may impose a requirement that the licensee or other person attend a training program approved by the department. END_STATUTE

Sec. 13. Section 4-224, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-224. Local ordinances; prohibitions

A city, town or county shall not adopt ordinances or regulations in conflict with the provisions of this title or any rules adopted pursuant to this title, including, but not limited to, ordinances or regulations pertaining to hours and days of liquor sales and ordinances or regulations that conflict with the definition of restaurant contained in this title in section 4‑205.02. A city, town or county shall not limit any RIGHT granted by the license, by this title or by any rules adopted pursuant to this title. A city, town or county may enforce lawful zoning requirements. Zoning shall not be a basis for protesting or denying a license under this title. END_STATUTE

Sec. 14. Section 4-229, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-229. Licenses; handguns; posting of notice

A. A person with a permit issued pursuant to section 13-3112 may carry a concealed handgun on the premises of a licensee who is an on‑sale retailer unless the licensee posts a sign that clearly prohibits the possession of weapons on the licensed premises. The sign shall conform to the following requirements:

1. Be posted in a conspicuous location accessible to the general public and immediately adjacent to the liquor license posted on the licensed premises.

2. Contain a pictogram that shows a firearm within a red circle and a diagonal red line across the firearm.

3. Contain the words, “no firearms allowed pursuant to A.R.S. section 4‑229”.

B. A person shall not carry a firearm on the licensed premises of an on-sale retailer if the licensee has posted the notice prescribed in subsection A of this section.

C. It is an affirmative defense to a violation of subsection B of this section if:

1. The person was not informed of the notice prescribed in subsection A of this section before the violation.

2. Any one or more of the following apply:

(a) At the time of the violation the notice prescribed in subsection A of this section had fallen down.

(b) At the time of the violation the person was not a resident of this state.

(c) The licensee had posted the notice prescribed in subsection A of this section not more than thirty days before the violation.

D. The department of liquor licenses and control shall prepare the signs required by this section and make them available at no cost to licensees.

E. The signs required by this section shall be composed of block, capital letters printed in black on white laminated paper at a minimum weight of one hundred ten pound index. The lettering and pictogram shall consume a space at least six inches by nine inches. The letters comprising the words “no firearms allowed” shall be at least three‑fourths of a vertical inch and all other letters shall be at least one‑half of a vertical inch. Nothing shall prohibit a licensee from posting additional signs at one or more locations on the premises.

F. This section does not prohibit a person who possesses a handgun from entering the licensed premises for a limited time for the specific purpose of either:

1. Seeking emergency aid.

2. Determining whether a sign has been posted pursuant to subsection A of this section. END_STATUTE

Sec. 15. Section 4-241, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE4-241. Selling or giving liquor to underage person; illegally obtaining liquor by underage person; violation; classification; definitions

A. If a licensee, an employee of the licensee or any other person questions or has reason to question that the person ordering, purchasing, attempting to purchase or otherwise procuring or attempting to procure the serving or delivery of spirituous liquor or entering a portion of a licensed premises when the primary use is the sale or service of spirituous liquor is under the legal drinking age, the licensee, employee of the licensee or other person shall do all of the following:

1. Demand identification from the person.

2. Examine the identification to determine that the identification reasonably appears to be a valid, unaltered identification that has not been defaced.

3. Examine the photograph in the identification and determine that the person reasonably appears to be the same person in the identification.

4. Determine that the date of birth in the identification indicates the person is not under the legal drinking age.

B. A licensee or an employee of the licensee who follows the procedures prescribed in subsection A of this section and who records and retains a record of the person’s identification on this particular visit is not in violation of subsection J of this section or section 4-244, paragraph 9 or 22. This defense applies to actions of the licensee and all employees of the licensee after the procedure has been employed during the particular visit to the licensed premises by the person. A licensee or an employee of the licensee is not required to demand and examine identification of a person pursuant to subsection A of this section if, during this visit to the licensed premises by the person, the licensee or any employee of the licensee has previously followed the procedure prescribed in subsection A of this section.

C. Proof that the licensee or employee followed the entire procedure prescribed in subsection A of this section but did not record and retain a record as prescribed in subsection B of this section is an affirmative defense to a criminal charge under subsection J of this section or under section 4-244, paragraph 9 or 22 or a disciplinary action under section 4-210 for a violation of subsection J of this section or section 4-244, paragraphs paragraph 9 or 22. This defense applies to actions of the licensee and all employees of the licensee after the procedure has been employed during the particular visit to the licensed premises by the person.

D. A licensee or an employee who has not recorded and retained a record of the identification prescribed by subsection B of this section is presumed not to have followed any of the elements prescribed in subsection A of this section.

E. For purposes of section 4-244, paragraph 22, a licensee or an employee who has not recorded and retained a record of the identification prescribed by subsection B of this section is presumed to know that the person entering or attempting to enter a portion of a licensed premises when the primary use is the sale or service of spirituous liquor is under the legal drinking age.

F. It is a defense to a violation of subsection A