What's happening
This bill prohibits towns and cities in New York from banning alcohol sales and repeals local option laws allowing such bans.
Why it matters
Removes local control over alcohol sales. Towns and cities in New York will no longer be able to ban the sale of alcohol, shifting regulatory authority entirely to state law and away from local referendums or ordinances.
Potentially boosts local economies. By allowing alcohol sales everywhere, the bill could increase business opportunities for local retailers, bars, and restaurants, potentially raising tax revenues and creating new jobs in areas that previously banned alcohol.
Standardizes alcohol laws across the state. This change eliminates a patchwork of local alcohol bans, making it easier for businesses to operate consistently across different municipalities and reducing confusion for residents and visitors.
Reflects shifting social norms. The repeal may be seen as a response to changing attitudes toward alcohol regulation, prioritizing individual choice and economic development over local prohibitionist traditions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Local Alcohol Bans
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 42
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Reported and committed to local government
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Reported and committed to local government
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
348
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to amend the alcoholic beverage control law, in relation to ending the local option of towns and cities to prohibit the sale of alcohol; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The alcoholic beverage control law is amended by adding a new section 132 to read as follows:
§ 132. Local options on the sale of alcohol prohibited. Within every municipality which had a referendum to prohibit the sale of alcohol under the former article nine of this chapter the sale of alcohol shall be lawful. No municipality shall enact any local law, ordinance, or resolution which prohibits the sale of alcohol within the entirety of such municipality.
§ 2. Article 9 of the alcoholic beverage control law is REPEALED.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01436-01-5
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 ending the local option of towns and cities to prohibit the sale of alcohol; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto
Purpose
This bill would eliminate all current - and prohibit any future - dry communities in New York State.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends the alcoholic beverage control law by adding a new section 132, which makes the sale of alcohol lawful in any municipality that had previously prohibited its sale. Precludes municipalities from enacting any future prohibition on the sale of alcohol.
Section 2: Repeals article nine (local option) of the alcoholic beverage control law.
Section 3: Sets effective date.
Justification
Despite being an antiquated relic of the temperance movement, a handful of dry municipalities still exist in NYS, where an individual of lawful age and sound mind cannot purchase an alcoholic beverage. In modern society, the sale and consumption of alcohol is an extremely tightly regulated industry. Many local, state, and federal health, safety, and economic protections exist to ensure that alcohol is sold and consumed as responsibly as possible. Dry communities can also force residents and visitors to travel greater distances to enjoy libations, leading to public safety hazards. This bill would broaden consumer choice, spur new business, and integrate outlier municipalities with the rest of the state in relation to the permitted sale of alcohol.
Legislative history
Senate
2022: S8966, Advanced to Third Reading
2023: S3484, Advanced to Third Reading
2024: S3484, Advanced to Third Reading
Assembly
2022: A10376, Referred to Economic Development
2023: N/A
2024: A9071, Referred to Economic Development
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth 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.