What's happening
This bill exempts specified parcels in Troy, South Glens Falls, and Saratoga Springs from restrictions on shared interests in liquor licenses.
Why it matters
Facilitates new business models and investment. By exempting specific parcels from the usual "tied house" restrictions (which prevent manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers from holding shared interests in liquor licenses), the bill can enable more flexible arrangements for restaurants, bars, breweries, or entertainment venues on these sites, potentially attracting new investment and development.
Economic development for targeted locations. The parcels in Troy, South Glens Falls, and Saratoga Springs will become more attractive for hospitality and mixed-use developments, possibly revitalizing these areas, creating jobs, and increasing local tax revenues.
Potential for unique or multi-use venues. With these exemptions, properties might host creative or vertically integrated businesses (like a brewery with a taproom and retail space, or a restaurant with its own branded liquor), offering consumers new experiences while supporting local entrepreneurs.
Raises questions about fairness and precedent. While the bill targets specific locations, other business owners outside these parcels may see this as special treatment, potentially leading to calls for broader reform or similar exemptions elsewhere in the state.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Liquor Laws Loosened for Properties
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.429
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.286
- Substituted for A7548A
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.968
Show 3 earlier actions
- Print number 5639a
- Amend and recommit to investigations and government operations
- Referred to investigations and government operations
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.
Allow Liquor License Exceptions
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor John T. McDonald III
Full text
5 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 5639--A A. 7548--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
May 9, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. BRESLIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to exempting certain parcels of land from the provisions of law which generally restrict manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers from sharing an interest in a liquor license
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (xii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 101 of the alcoholic beverage control law, as added by chapter 453 of the laws of 2018, is amended and a new subparagraph (xiii) is added to read as follows:
(xii) ALSO ALL THOSE TRACTS OR PARCELS OF LAND, situate in the Tenth Ward of the City of Troy, County of Rensselaer and State of New York, known as Lots Number Seven (7), A Seven (A7), Six (6), A Six (A6), Five (5), A Five (A5) and the southerly portions of Lots Four (4) and A Four (A4), as the same are laid down and described on a certain Map made by Frederick W. Orr, dated August 15, 1918, filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Rensselaer as Map No. 29 1/2, Drawer 18. The said premises hereby intended to be conveyed are bounded and described as follows:
COMMENCING at an iron rod in the westerly side of River Street at the most southeasterly corner of premises heretofore conveyed by Harry Gold-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11435-02-9
S. 5639--A 2 A. 7548--A
berg and Norman Goldberg to Arthur E. Collins and another, by Deed dated November 8, 1940, recorded November 12, 1940 In the Office of the Clerk of the County of Rensselaer in Book 633 of Deeds at page 400 and running thence southerly along the westerly line of River Street 215.6 feet to a pipe in the most southeasterly corner of Lot No. A7; thence westerly along the southerly line of Lots Nos. A7 and 7, 163 feet more or less to the easterly shore of the Hudson River; thence northerly along the easterly shore of the Hudson River 216 feet more or less to the most southwesterly corner of land heretofore conveyed by the said Harry Goldberg and Norman Goldberg to Arthur E. Collins and another hereinbefore recited; thence along the southerly line of lands heretofore conveyed to said Collins and another easterly 31.75 feet; thence northerly 6.33 feet; thence easterly 18 feet; thence southerly 6.33 feet; thence easterly 150.57 feet to the point or place of beginning.
EXCEPTING THEREFROM that portion of the above described premises as were conveyed by John B. Garrett, Inc. to Cahill Orthopedic Laboratory, Inc. by deed dated June 22, 1993 and recorded in the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office on June 24, 1993 in Book 1690 of Deeds at Page 215,
Containing 17,600 square feet of land more or less.
BEARINGS refer to the magnetic meridian of 1993. Said premises are also described as follows: Ward & Plate: 1005500 669 RIVER ST: frontage and depth 115.60 x 220.00 being the same premises described in Book 6534 of Deeds at Page 256 in the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office and being the same premises in the 2009 City of Troy Assessment Rolls and 90.78-3-2.1 In Rem Serial No. AY0054 (RIVERVIEW PROPERTIES INC; CORINA, ANGELO; MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN D & VASIL, SCOTT)[.]; and being further bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point marked by a capped iron rod where the division line between lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. (Liber 1334, Page 861) on the northeast and lands herein described on the southwest intersects the northwesterly side of River Street; running thence South 40° 01' 52" West along the northwesterly side of River Street a distance of 100.00 feet to a point; thence North 49° 45' 31" West a distance of 41.97 feet to a point at the southwesterly corner of the building located on the herein described premises, said point also being the northeasterly corner of the building located on the property adjoining on the southwest; thence North 60° 59' 40" West along the building wall located on the property adjoining on the southwest and the northwesterly continuation of same a distance of 140.88 feet to the easterly shore of the Hudson River; thence North 30° 16' 52" East along the shore of the Hudson River a distance of 90.90 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. (Liber 1334, Page 861) a distance of 31.75 feet to a point; thence North 30° 16' 52" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 6.33 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc a distance of 18.00 feet to a point; thence South 30° 16' 52" West continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 6.33 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 149.40 feet to the point and place of beginning. Be the aforesaid dimensions in this clause more or less and encompassing lands considered to be a single contiguous parcel.
(xiii) ALSO ALL THOSE TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND, situate, lying and being in the Village of South Glens Falls, County of Saratoga and State of New York, being more particularly bounded and described as follows:
S. 5639--A 3 A. 7548--A
BEGINNING at a point at the southwest corner of the herein described parcel. Also being the southeast corner of Lands of Village of South Glens Falls (L. 1448 P. 709) and being on the north boundary of West Marion Street, thence from said point of beginning: n 21-21'-57" E 150.72 feet along lands of the Village of South Glens Falls to a point on the south boundary of South Glens Falls, thence S 67-34'-02" E 189.04 feet along lands of Village of South Glens Falls and Mounir Rahal to a point at the southeast corner of Rahal and on the west boundary of U.S. Rte. 9, thence S 21-16'-27" W 150.81 feet along Rte. 9 to a point at the intersection of the west boundary of Rte. 9 and the north boundary of West Marion Street, thence North 67-32'-32" West 189.29 feet along West Marion Street to the point and place of beginning. Said parcel containing 0.507 plus or minus acres.
§ 2. Subparagraph (xii) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 13 of section 106 of the alcoholic beverage control law, as amended by chapter 453 of the laws of 2018, is amended and two new subparagraphs (xiii) and (xiv) are added to read as follows:
(xii) all those tracts or parcels of land, situate in the Tenth Ward of the City of Troy, County of Rensselaer and State of New York, known as Lots Number Seven (7), A Seven (A7), Six (6), A Six (A6), Five (5), A Five (A5) and the southerly portions of Lots Four (4) and A Four (A4), as the same are laid down and described on a certain Map made by Frederick W. Orr, dated August 15, 1918, filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Rensselaer as Map No. 29 1/2, Drawer 18. The said premises hereby intended to be conveyed are bounded and described as follows:
COMMENCING at an iron rod in the westerly side of River Street at the most southeasterly corner of premises heretofore conveyed by Harry Goldberg and Norman Goldberg to Arthur E. Collins and another, by Deed dated November 8, 1940, recorded November 12, 1940 In the Office of the Clerk of the County of Rensselaer in Book 633 of Deeds at page 400 and running thence southerly along the westerly line of River Street 215.6 feet to a pipe in the most southeasterly corner of Lot No. A7; thence westerly along the southerly line of Lots Nos. A7 and 7, 163 feet more or less to the easterly shore of the Hudson River; thence northerly along the easterly shore of the Hudson River 216 feet more or less to the most southwesterly corner of land heretofore conveyed by the said Harry Goldberg and Norman Goldberg to Arthur E. Collins and another hereinbefore recited; thence along the southerly line of lands heretofore conveyed to said Collins and another easterly 31.75 feet; thence northerly 6.33 feet; thence easterly 18 feet; thence southerly 6.33 feet; thence easterly 150.57 feet to the point or place of beginning.
EXCEPTING THEREFROM that portion of the above described premises as were conveyed by John B. Garrett, Inc. to Cahill Orthopedic Laboratory, Inc. by deed dated June 22, 1993 and recorded in the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office on June 24, 1993 in Book 1960 of Deeds at Page 215, Containing 17,600 square feet of land more or less.
BEARINGS refer to the magnetic meridian of 1993. Said premises are also described as follows: Ward & Plate: 1005500 669 RIVER ST: frontage and depth 115.60 x 220.00 being the same premises described in Book 6534 of Deeds at Page 256 in the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office and being the same premises in the 2009 City of Troy Assessment Rolls and 90.78-3-2.1 In Rem Serial No. AY0054 (RIVERVIEW PROPERTIES INC; CORINA, ANGELO; MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN D & VASIL, SCOTT)[.]; and being further bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point marked by a capped iron rod where the division line between lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. (Liber 1334, Page 861) on the northeast and lands
S. 5639--A 4 A. 7548--A
herein described on the southwest intersects the northwesterly side of River Street; running thence South 40° 01' 52" West along the northwesterly side of River Street a distance of 100.00 feet to a point; thence North 49° 45' 31" West a distance of 41.97 feet to a point at the southwesterly corner of the building located on the herein described premises, said point also being the northeasterly corner of the building located on the property adjoining on the southwest; thence North 60° 59' 40" West along the building wall located on the property adjoining on the southwest and the northwesterly continuation of same a distance of 140.88 feet to the easterly shore of the Hudson River; thence North 30° 16' 52" East along the shore of the Hudson River a distance of 90.90 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. (Liber 1334, Page 861) a distance of 31.75 feet to a point; thence North 30° 16' 52" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 6.33 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc a distance of 18.00 feet to a point; thence South 30° 16' 52" West continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 6.33 feet to a point; thence South 60° 44' 08" East continuing along lands now or formerly of Walter Snyder Printer, Inc. a distance of 149.40 feet to the point and place of beginning. Be the aforesaid dimensions in this clause more or less and encompassing lands considered to be a single contiguous parcel.
(xiii) ALSO ALL THOSE TRACTS OR PARCEL OF LAND, situate in the City of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York, bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point 55 feet south on Beekman Street, from where the west line of Beekman Street intersects the south line of Congress Street, and running thence southerly along the west line of Beekman Street 55 feet, more or less, to the north line of the premises now or formerly owned or occupied by Henry Curtis; thence westerly along said Curtis' north line 65 feet, more or less, to the east line of the premises heretofore conveyed to Edward M. Merritt; thence northerly along said Merritt's east line 55 feet, more or less, to a point 55 feet south of the south line of Congress Street; thence easterly on a line parallel with the south line of Congress Street 65 feet, more or less, to the point and place of beginning; and being further bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point in the Southerly line Grand Avenue at the intersection of the Westerly line of Beekman Street, said point also being the Northeast comer of lands now or formerly of Dublin Underground, LLC as conveyed in Book 1769 of Deeds at Page 657,thence along said Westerly line of Beekman Street, South 01°02'45"West, SS.00 feet to a point at the intersection of the common division line between lands now or formerly of Haggerty as conveyed in Book 1595 of Deeds at Page 480 on the South and lands of said Dublin Underground LLC on the North, thence along said division line, North 88°57'15"West, 65.00 feet to a point at the intersection of the common division line between lands now or formerly of Haynes as conveyed in Book 1630 of Deeds at Page 727 on the West and said lands of Dublin Underground UC on the East, thence along said division line, North 01°02'45"East, 55.00 feet to a point in the Southerly line of Grand Avenue, thence along said Southerly line, South 88°57'15"East, 65.00 feet to the point or place of beginning and containing 3576 ± square feet of land; and being further bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point where the east line of an alley intersects the south line of Grand Avenue, running thence easterly fifty-five (55) feet, more or less, to the west line of property now or
S. 5639--A 5 A. 7548--A
formerly owned by one Desidora; thence southerly one hundred ten (110) feet, more or less, to the northerly line of property now or formerly owned by one Gutierresl thence westerly fifty-five (55) feet, more or less to the easterly line of an alley; thence northerly one hundred ten (110) feet, more or less to the point or place of beginning. Be the aforesaid dimensions in this clause more or less and encompassing lands considered to be a single contiguous parcel.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to exempting certain parcels of land from the provisions of law which generally restrict manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers from sharing an interest in a liquor license
Purpose or general idea
To add parcels of land to the list of premises which are exempt from the provisions of law which generally restrict manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers from sharing an interest in a liquor license.
Summary of provisions
This legislation makes technical amendments to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to fully implement the Legislature's intent in passing Chap- ter 453 of the Laws of 2018. That chapter amended provisions of law that restrict the relationships between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to exempt an historic property in the City of Troy to allow for its redevelopment, which will include a brewery and restaurant.
Existing law
Alcoholic Beverage Control Law Section 101(1)(a) prohibits alcohol manufacturers and wholesalers from having an interest in alcohol retail places. ABC Law Section 106(13) prohibits retail licensees for on-prem- ises consumption from having an interest in any premises where alcohol is manufactured or sold at wholesale.
Justification
Since the 1930s, when Prohibition was repealed, New York State law has restricted owners of alcohol manufacturer's licenses, wholesale licenses and retail licenses from having an interest in each other. Known as the "tied-house" laws, efforts have been made to modernize the law by addressing these types of archaic ownership issues. In the meantime, this bill exempts specific locations from these provisions of law.
These provisions have been amended on occasion by exempting certain properties to support local economic development goals. Exemptions, such as the one provided by this bill, are narrowly tailored to prevent undue market influence by identifying select parcels using metes and bounds descriptions. A licensee can only make use of this kind of exemption if each of its New York-based alcohol manufacturing, wholesale and retail business parcels are exempted.
This bill's exemption will assist with the economic revitalization of a distressed area in the City of Troy, namely Census Tract 404, which has an estimated per capita income of less than $14,000 and where an esti- mated 48% of its approximately 2,200 residents live below the poverty line. The property, which is listed on the National Historical Register, will be developed for mixed-use and will include a brewery and restau- rant. The business operation will generate fifty new jobs and increase sales, excise and property tax revenue. Redeveloping the property will also help fulfill the City of Troy's important historic preservation goals.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Development of an affected parcel in City of Troy, County of Rensselaer, will help generate sales, excise and property tax revenue.
Effective date
This legislation will take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.