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Companion bills
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Authorizes the retail sale of alcoholic beverages at eleven a.m. on Sunday
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Michael Benedetto
Authorizes the sale of liquor on Sunday mornings
In Assembly Committee · Economic Development · Sponsor Joseph Morelle
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to authorizing the on premise sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday mornings
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation creates a new permit for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages before noon on Sunday at locations previously licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for on premise consumption.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of the bill creates two new sections of alcoholic beverage control law relating to Sunday morning sales, section 99-h and 99-i.
Read the full memo (602 words)
Section 2 of the bill creates new section 99-h annual permit to remain open during certain hours of the morning.
Subdivision 1 of the new section 99-h permits a person that is currently licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises to apply for a new annual permit to remain open and serve alcohol between the hours of 8:00 am and noon on Sunday.
Subdivision 2 of the new section 99-h establishes the fee for the annual permit for the Sunday morning sales.
Subdivision 3 of the new section 99-h states that the annual permit and exercise of the privileges shall be subject to such rules as the liquor authority deems necessary.
Section 3 of the bill creates a new section 99-i special permit to remain open during certain hours of the morning.
Subdivision 1 of the new section 99-I permits a person that is currently licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises to apply for a one-time Sunday permit to serve alcohol between the hours of 8:00 am and noon and establishes the fee for such permit.
Subdivision 2 states that the temporary permit and exercise of the privileges shall be subject to such rules as the liquor authority deems necessary.
Section 4 provides that the bill shall be effective on the 30th day after it shall become law.
Justification
The current law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages before noon on Sunday is an anachronism harkening back to the days of the discredited "Blue Laws". This legislation represents a modest change to the existing law and is reflective of current business customs and trends. Subject to state liquor authority rules and regulations, the bill would allow already licensed businesses to be open at their discretion.
The current law is difficult to enforce. Moreover, Sunday mornings have become the time for special social and sporting events. Families and friends gather frequently gather. The current law impedes the ability of businesses that provide special event services, food services, sporting and social event services and tourist services to provide a full array of services. With the enactment of this bill, New York residents and visitors to our State would be able to fully participate in Sunday morning events in the same manner as on any other day of the week.
Creating a new permit for Sunday morning sales on premises recognizes the importance of the community input process in place when businesses apply for their liquor licenses, and preserves that process for local municipality and community comments when applying for the additional Sunday morning hour permit. The New York State Liquor Authority would have the ability to regulate the licenses of these locations as they do with any other locations that currently serves alcohol for consumption at legal hours on premise.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Fees for applications would provide revenue for administrative services and additional revenue to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.