What's happening
This bill prohibits membership warehouse stores in New York from selling alcohol to retailers using business-related cards, with escalating penalties for violations.
Why it matters
Targets “membership warehouse retailers”. (like Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s) by defining them specifically in law, meaning the rules will apply to stores that require paid membership for entry and sell a broad range of goods.
Cracks down on sales of alcohol to businesses. by making it illegal for these warehouse stores to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone using a business-identified card (corporate/business credit, debit, or membership card), aiming to prevent reselling or bulk purchasing by retailers.
Imposes escalating penalties for violations. First offense results in a warning; second offense brings suspension and civil penalties; third offense could mean permanent loss of the license to sell alcohol—putting significant pressure on stores to strictly enforce these rules.
Broadens what counts as a violation. by stating that simply accepting a card with clear business ties is considered intentional, making it harder for stores to claim ignorance or accidental sales to retailers.
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Who cares
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Limit Alcohol Sales at Warehouses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Enacting clause stricken
- Referred to economic development
- Referred to economic development
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Limit Alcohol Sales at Warehouses
In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Marisol Alcantara
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6899
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 24, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SEPULVEDA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to membership warehouse stores
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 20-a of section 3 of the alcoholic beverage control law is renumbered subdivision 20-f and a new subdivision 20-a is added to read as follows:
20-a. "Membership warehouse retailer" means and includes any store primarily engaged in the retail sale of a general line of groceries, which may include apparel, furniture and appliances which limits access to members of the club including businesses and individuals who are subject to pay a fee or premium to shop in the club.
§ 2. Section 100 of the alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-c to read as follows:
2-c. (a) No membership warehouse retailer shall sell, or knowingly agree to sell, or sell by omission, any alcoholic beverage to a retailer who presents a corporate or business, debit, credit, or membership card bearing the name of a retailer at the point of sale. The first violation of this subdivision shall result in a written notice of violation and warning from the liquor authority. A second violation of this subdivision shall result in a suspension and imposition of a civil penalty pursuant to section one hundred eighteen of this article. A third violation of this subdivision shall result in a revocation, or cancellation of a license to sell alcoholic beverages pursuant to section one hundred eighteen of this article.
(b) The acceptance by a membership warehouse retailer of a corporate or business, debit, credit, or membership card that has sufficient indicia of an association with a retailer is a willful intent to violate the law within this subdivision.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10470-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.