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S726Senate2019-2020 SessionSame asA2698

Let Theaters Serve Alcohol

Official title

“Relates to authorizing the issuance of a license to certain motion picture theatres”

Sponsor Velmanette MontgomerySD-25+1 co-sponsorAffects Finance
Status
Vetoed
Impact
3/10
Low
Outcome
Vetoed

Bill progress

Vetoed

What's happening

This bill allows a specific not-for-profit motion picture theater in Brooklyn to serve beer, wine, cider, and mead to patrons 21 or older, with proceeds supporting community programs.

Why it matters

  1. Creates a special exception for a specific not-for-profit theater. the bill tailors alcohol licensing to a single, named property, rather than a general class of theaters, setting a precedent for site-specific exceptions based on community needs.

  2. Requires community board approval. the theater can only receive a license if it secures and files written support from relevant local community boards, giving local stakeholders significant say in whether the change is adopted.

  3. Mandates strict age controls during film screenings. to prevent underage drinking, the law requires that all patrons present while alcohol is served during movies must be 21 or older, and obliges the theater to implement and enforce this policy.

  4. Directs alcohol sale proceeds to community benefit. all profits from selling beer, wine, cider, and mead must support community-based programs run by the licensee, ensuring the change provides tangible local benefits beyond theater operations.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Let Theaters Serve Alcohol

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Velmanette Montgomery

Senator · Senate District 25

Chair, Children And Families

1 Co-sponsor

History

  1. Vetoed memo.206
  2. Delivered to governor
  3. Returned to senate
  4. Passed assembly
  5. Ordered to third reading rules cal.249
  6. Substituted for A2698A
  7. Referred to ways and means
  8. Delivered to assembly
  9. Passed senateVote 60–2
  10. Ordered to third reading cal.1210
  11. Committee discharged and committed to rules
  12. Print number 726a
Show 2 earlier actions
  1. Amend and recommit to commerce, economic development and small business
  2. Referred to commerce, economic development and small business

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.

A2698Assembly

Let Theaters Serve Alcohol

Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Joseph Lentol

Impact 3 · Low0% to pass

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

726--A

2019-2020 Regular Sessions

IN SENATE (Prefiled)

January 9, 2019

Introduced by Sen. MONTGOMERY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business -- 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 authorizing the issuance of a license to certain motion picture theatres

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Section 64-a of the alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6-a to read as follows:

6-a. Notwithstanding subdivision six of this section, the authority may issue a license to serve beer, wine, cider and mead as provided for in section eighty-one-a and section one hundred six of this chapter, to a corporation organized pursuant to the not-for-profit corporation law operating a motion picture theatre on a part-time or full-time basis located on the premises of the following parcel. Provided, however, the authority shall require that (i) the following parcel secures written support, that is filed with the authority, for any such license from the relevant local community boards, (ii) each such license shall stipulate that while beer, wine, cider and mead are being given away, sold, or otherwise made available during the showing of any motion picture or film in any screening room of a motion picture theatre or film theatre located on the premises of the parcel, then every customer, patron, guest or member admitted to such motion picture or film theatre must be twenty-one years of age or older, and the process by which such policy shall be implemented and enforced, and (iii) all proceeds from the sale of beer, wine, cider and mead shall be used to fund or subsidize community-based benefit programs administered by the licensee.

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD03551-03-9

S. 726--A 2

BEGINNING at the corner formed by the intersection of the Southerly side of Lafayette Avenue with the Easterly side of Ashland Place;

RUNNING THENCE Easterly along the Southerly side of Lafayette Avenue, one hundred and seventy-six (176) feet one (1) inch to the Westerly side of St. Felix Street,

THENCE Southerly along the Westerly side of St. Felix Street, two hundred and fifteen (215) feet;

THENCE Westerly parallel with Lafayette Avenue and part of the distance through a party wall, one hundred and eighty-five (185) feet one-half (1/2) of an inch to the Easterly side of Ashland Place;

THENCE Northerly along the Easterly side of Ashland Place, two hundred and fifteen (215) feet two and one-quarter (2 1/4) inches to the corner, the point or place of BEGINNING.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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 authorizing the issuance of a license to certain motion picture theatres

Purpose or general idea of bill

Issuance of a license to sell alcohol in a BAM movie theatre.

Summary of provisions

Section 64-a of the ABC Law is amended by adding a new subdivision 6-a.

Justification

Currently, under New York State Law, alcohol can only be served in a theatre in conjunction with sit down dinner service. Under this propo- sal,a BAM movie theatre could provide alcohol with all proceeds from the sale to be used to fund or subsidize community based benefit programs.

Prior legislative history

S 8003-A Same as A8897-A 2018 Veto 364

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None

Effective date

Immediate

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.