Bill Text: NJ A3912 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Permits alternating proprietorship of certain wineries.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-08-16 - Approved P.L.2023, c.141. [A3912 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-A3912-Chaptered.html
An Act concerning wineries and amending and R.S.33:1-10 and R.S.33:1-26.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.33:1-10 is amended to read as follows:
Class A licenses; subdivisions; fees.
33:1-10. Class A licenses shall be subdivided and classified as follows:
Plenary brewery license. 1a. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to brew any malt alcoholic beverages and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse; provided, however, that the delivery of this product by the holder of this license to retailers licensed under this title shall be from inventory in a warehouse located in this State which is operated under a plenary brewery license. The fee for this license shall be $10,625.
Limited brewery license. 1b. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to brew any malt alcoholic beverages in a quantity to be expressed in said license, dependent upon the following fees and not in excess of 300,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons capacity per year and to sell and distribute this product to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse; provided, however, that the delivery of this product by the holder of this license to retailers licensed under this title shall be from inventory in a warehouse located in this State which is operated under a limited brewery license. The holder of this license shall be entitled to sell this product at retail to consumers on the licensed premises of the brewery for consumption on the premises, but only in connection with a tour of the brewery, or for consumption off the premises in a quantity of not more than 15.5 fluid gallons per person, and to offer samples for sampling purposes only pursuant to an annual permit issued by the director. If the holder of this license holds a bonded warehouse bottling license issued pursuant to subsection 5 of this section, product brewed in accordance with this subsection and transferred to a bonded warehouse for bottling and storage may be sold at retail and offered for sampling on the licensed premises of the brewery by the holder of this license. The holder of this license shall not sell food or operate a restaurant on the licensed premises. The fee for this license shall be graduated as follows:
to so brew not more than 50,000 barrels of 31 liquid gallons capacity per annum, $1,250;
to so brew not more than 100,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons capacity per annum, $2,500;
to so brew not more than 200,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons capacity per annum, $5,000;
to so brew not more than 300,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons capacity per annum, $7,500.
For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the selling at a nominal charge or the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding four ounces of any malt alcoholic beverage. For the purposes of this subsection, "product" means any malt alcoholic beverage that is produced on the premises licensed under this subsection.
Restricted brewery license. 1c. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to brew any malt alcoholic beverages in a quantity to be expressed in such license not in excess of 10,000 barrels of 31 gallons capacity per year. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.33:1-26, the director shall issue a restricted brewery license only to a person or an entity which has identical ownership to an entity which holds a plenary retail consumption license issued pursuant to R.S.33:1-12, provided that such plenary retail consumption license is operated in conjunction with a restaurant regularly and principally used for the purpose of providing meals to its customers and having adequate kitchen and dining room facilities, and that the licensed restaurant premises is immediately adjoining the premises licensed under this subsection. The holder of this license shall be entitled to sell or deliver the product to that restaurant premises. The holder of this license also shall be entitled to sell and distribute the product to wholesalers licensed in accordance with this chapter. The fee for this license shall be $1,250, which fee shall entitle the holder to brew up to 1,000 barrels of 31 liquid gallons per annum. The licensee also shall pay an additional $250 for every additional 1,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons produced. The fee shall be paid at the time of application for the license, and additional payments based on barrels produced shall be paid within 60 days following the expiration of the license term upon certification by the licensee of the actual gallons brewed during the license term. No more than 10 restricted brewery licenses shall be issued to a person or entity which holds an interest in a plenary retail consumption license. If the governing body of the municipality in which the licensed premises will be located should file a written objection, the director shall hold a hearing and may issue the license only if the director finds that the issuance of the license will not be contrary to the public interest. All fees related to the issuance of both licenses shall be paid in accordance with statutory law. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to limit or restrict the rights and privileges granted by the plenary retail consumption license held by the holder of the restricted brewery license issued pursuant to this subsection.
The holder of this license shall be entitled to offer samples of its product for promotional purposes at charitable or civic events off the licensed premises pursuant to an annual permit issued by the director.
For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the selling at a nominal charge or the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding four ounces of any malt alcoholic beverage product. For the purposes of this subsection, "product" means any malt alcoholic beverage that is produced on the premises licensed under this subsection.
Plenary winery license. 2a. Provided that the holder is engaged in growing and cultivating grapes or fruit used in the production of wine on at least three acres on, or adjacent to, the winery premises, except as otherwise provided in this subsection for certain alternating proprietorship agreements, the holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to produce any fermented wines, and to blend, fortify and treat wines, and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers licensed in accordance with this chapter and to churches for religious purposes, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse, and to sell his products at retail to consumers on the licensed premises of the winery for consumption on or off the premises and to offer samples for sampling purposes only. The fee for this license shall be $938. A holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year shall also have the right to sell and distribute his products to retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, except that the holder of this license shall not use a common carrier for such distribution. The fee for this additional privilege shall be graduated as follows: a licensee who manufactures more than 150,000 gallons, but not in excess of 250,000 gallons per annum, $1,000; a licensee who manufactures more than 100,000 gallons, but not in excess of 150,000 gallons per annum, $500; a licensee who manufactures more than 50,000 gallons, but not in excess of 100,000 gallons per annum, $250; a licensee who manufactures 50,000 gallons or less per annum, $100. A holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year shall have the right to sell such wine at retail in original packages in 15 salesrooms apart from the winery premises for consumption on or off the premises and for sampling purposes for consumption on the premises, at a fee of $250 for each salesroom. Licensees shall not jointly control and operate salesrooms. Additionally, the holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year may ship not more than 12 cases of wine per year, subject to regulation, to any person within or without this State over 21 years of age for personal consumption and not for resale. A case of wine shall not exceed a maximum of nine liters. A copy of the original invoice shall be available for inspection by persons authorized to enforce the alcoholic beverage laws of this State for a minimum period of three years at the licensed premises of the winery. For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the selling at a nominal charge or the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding one and one-half ounces of any wine.
A holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year shall not own, either in whole or in part, or hold, either directly or indirectly, any interest in a winery that produces more than 250,000 gallons per year. In addition, a holder of this license who produces more than 250,000 gallons per year shall not own, either in whole or in part, or hold, either directly or indirectly, any interest in a winery that produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year.
An applicant for a plenary winery license or the holder of a plenary winery license may apply to the director for approval to enter into an agreement with a host New Jersey winery to use the host's equipment and space in an alternating proprietorship for production of wine, provided that the applicant or holder has obtained approval of the proposed alternating proprietorship arrangement from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The director shall approve the agreement if the director determines that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has approved the agreement and the agreement does not violate any applicable New Jersey alcohol licensing and taxation laws and related regulations or special rulings of the director. The director shall approve or deny the application no later than 180 days after receipt of the application, unless the applicant agrees to an extension.
An applicant for a plenary winery license who also applies to the director to enter into an alternating proprietorship agreement pursuant to this subsection shall, upon approval by the director of both applications, be permitted to grow and cultivate grapes or fruit used in the production of wine on at least three acres within a five-mile radius of the host winery premises.
For the purposes of this subsection, "product" means any wine that is produced, blended, fortified, or treated by the licensee on its licensed premises situated in the State of New Jersey. For the purposes of this subsection, "wine" shall include "hard cider" and "mead" as defined in this section.
Farm winery license. 2b. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to manufacture any fermented wines and fruit juices in a quantity to be expressed in said license, dependent upon the following fees and not in excess of 50,000 gallons per year and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter and to churches for religious purposes and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse and to sell at retail to consumers for consumption on or off the licensed premises and to offer samples for sampling purposes only. The license shall be issued only when the winery at which such fermented wines and fruit juices are manufactured is located and constructed upon a tract of land exclusively under the control of the licensee, provided that the licensee is actively engaged in growing and cultivating an area of not less than three acres on or adjacent to the winery premises and on which are growing grape vines or fruit to be processed into wine or fruit juice, except in the case of certain alternating proprietorship agreements, as provided in this subsection; and provided, further, that for the first five years of the operation of the winery such fermented wines and fruit juices shall be manufactured from at least 51 percent grapes or fruit grown in the State and that thereafter they shall be manufactured from grapes or fruit grown in this State at least to the extent required for labeling as "New Jersey Wine" under the applicable federal laws and regulations. The containers of all wine sold to consumers by such licensee shall have affixed a label stating such information as shall be required by the rules and regulations of the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The fee for this license shall be graduated as follows: to so manufacture between 30,000 and 50,000 gallons per annum, $375; to so manufacture between 2,500 and 30,000 gallons per annum, $250; to so manufacture between 1,000 and 2,500 gallons per annum, $125; to so manufacture less than 1,000 gallons per annum, $63. No farm winery license shall be held by the holder of a plenary winery license.
The holder of this license shall also have the right to sell and distribute his products to retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, except that the holder of this license shall not use a common carrier for such distribution. The fee for this additional privilege shall be $100. The holder of this license shall have the right to sell his products in original packages at retail to consumers in 15 salesrooms apart from the winery premises for consumption on or off the premises, and for sampling purposes for consumption on the premises, at a fee of $250 for each salesroom. Licensees shall not jointly control and operate salesrooms. Additionally, the holder of this license may ship not more than 12 cases of wine per year, subject to regulation, to any person within or without this State over 21 years of age for personal consumption and not for resale. A case of wine shall not exceed a maximum of nine liters. A copy of the original invoice shall be available for inspection by persons authorized to enforce the alcoholic beverage laws of this State for a minimum period of three years at the licensed premises of the winery. For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the selling at a nominal charge or the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding one and one-half ounces of any wine.
A holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year shall not own, either in whole or in part, or hold, either directly or indirectly, any interest in a winery that produces more than 250,000 gallons per year.
An applicant for a farm winery license or the holder of a farm winery license may apply to the director for approval to enter into an agreement with a host New Jersey winery to use the host's equipment and space in an alternating proprietorship for production of wine, provided that the applicant or holder has obtained approval of the proposed alternating proprietorship arrangement from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The director shall approve the agreement if the director determines that the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has approved the agreement and the agreement does not violate any applicable New Jersey alcohol licensing and taxation laws and related regulations or special rulings of the director. The director shall approve or deny the application no later than 180 days after receipt of the application, unless the applicant agrees to an extension.
An applicant for a farm winery license who also applies to the director to enter into an alternating proprietorship agreement pursuant to this subsection shall, upon approval by the director of both applications, be permitted to grow and cultivate grapes or fruit used in the production of wine on at least three acres within a five-mile radius of the host winery premises.
Unless otherwise indicated, for the purposes of this subsection, with respect to farm winery licenses, "manufacture" means the vinification, aging, storage, blending, clarification, stabilization and bottling of wine or juice from New Jersey fruit to the extent required by this subsection.
For the purposes of this subsection, "wine" shall include "hard cider" and "mead" as defined in this section.
Wine blending license. 2c. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to blend, treat, mix, and bottle fermented wines and fruit juices with non-alcoholic beverages, and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The fee for this license shall be $625.
For the purposes of this subsection, "wine" shall include "hard cider" and "mead" as defined in this section.
Instructional winemaking facility license. 2d. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to instruct persons in and provide them with the opportunity to participate directly in the process of winemaking and to directly assist such persons in the process of winemaking while in the process of instruction on the premises of the facility. The holder of this license also shall be entitled to manufacture wine on the premises not in excess of an amount of 10 percent of the wine produced annually on the premises of the facility, which shall be used only to replace quantities lost or discarded during the winemaking process, to maintain a warehouse, and to offer samples produced by persons who have received instruction in winemaking on the premises by the licensee for sampling purposes only on the licensed premises for the purpose of promoting winemaking for personal or household use or consumption. Wine produced on the premises of an instructional winemaking facility shall be used, consumed or disposed of on the facility's premises or distributed from the facility's premises to a person who has participated directly in the process of winemaking for the person's personal or household use or consumption. The holder of this license may sell mercantile items traditionally associated with winemaking and novelty wearing apparel identified with the name of the establishment licensed under the provisions of this section. The holder of this license may use the licensed premises for an event or affair, including an event or affair at which a plenary retail consumption licensee serves alcoholic beverages in compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations promulgated by the director. The fee for this license shall be $1,000. For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding one and one-half ounces of any wine.
For the purposes of this subsection, "wine" shall include "hard cider" and "mead" as defined in this section.
Out-of-State winery license. 2e. Provided that the applicant does not produce more than 250,000 gallons of wine per year, the holder of a valid winery license issued in any other state may make application to the director for this license. The holder of this license shall have the right to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers licensed in accordance with this chapter and to sell such wine at retail in original packages in 16 salesrooms apart from the winery premises for consumption on or off the premises at a fee of $250 for each salesroom. Licensees shall not jointly control and operate salesrooms. The annual fee for this license shall be $938. A copy of a current license issued by another state shall accompany the application. The holder of this license also shall have the right to sell and distribute his products to retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, except that the holder of this license shall not use a common carrier for such distribution. The fee for this additional privilege shall be graduated as follows: a licensee who manufactures more than 150,000 gallons, but not in excess of 250,000 gallons per annum, $1,000; a licensee who manufactures more than 100,000 gallons, but not in excess of 150,000 gallons per annum, $500; a licensee who manufactures more than 50,000 gallons, but not in excess of 100,000 gallons per annum, $250; a licensee who manufactures 50,000 gallons or less per annum, $100. Additionally, the holder of this license may ship not more than 12 cases of wine per year, subject to regulation, to any person within or without this State over 21 years of age for personal consumption and not for resale. A case of wine shall not exceed a maximum of nine liters. A copy of the original invoice shall be available for inspection by persons authorized to enforce the alcoholic beverage laws of this State for a minimum period of three years at the licensed premises of the winery.
The licensee shall collect from the customer the tax due on the sale pursuant to the "Sales and Use Tax Act," P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.) and shall pay the tax due on the delivery of alcoholic beverages pursuant to the "Alcoholic beverage tax law," R.S.54:41-1 et seq. The Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury shall promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the provisions of this paragraph, and may provide by regulation for the co-administration of the tax due on the delivery of alcoholic beverages pursuant to the "Alcoholic beverage tax law," R.S.54:41-1 et seq. with the administration of the tax due on the sale pursuant to the "Sales and Use Tax Act," P.L.1966, c.30 (C.54:32B-1 et seq.).
A holder of this license who produces not more than 250,000 gallons per year shall not own, either in whole or in part, or hold, either directly or indirectly, any interest in a winery that produces more than 250,000 gallons per year.
For the purposes of this subsection, "wine" shall include "hard cider" and "mead" as defined in this section.
Cidery and meadery license. 2f. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to manufacture hard cider and mead and to sell and distribute these products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The holder of this license shall be entitled to sell these products at retail to consumers on the licensed premises for consumption on or off the premises and to offer samples for sampling purposes only. The holder of this license shall be permitted to offer for sale or make the gratuitous offering of packaged crackers, chips, nuts, and similar snacks to consumers, but shall not operate a restaurant on the licensed premises. The fee for this license shall be $938.
The holder of this license shall be entitled to manufacture hard cider in a quantity not to exceed 50,000 barrels of 31 fluid gallons capacity per year. With respect to the sale and distribution of hard cider to a wholesaler, the licensee shall be subject to the same statutory and regulatory requirements as a brewer, and hard cider shall be considered a malt alcoholic beverage, for the purposes of the "Malt Alcoholic Beverage Practices Act," P.L.2005, c.243 (C.33:1-93.12 et seq.). The holder of this license shall not directly ship hard cider either within or without this State.
The holder of this license shall be entitled to manufacture not more than 250,000 gallons of mead per year. The holder of this license may ship not more than 12 cases of mead per year, subject to regulation, to any person within or without this State over 21 years of age for personal consumption and not for resale. A case of mead shall not exceed a maximum of nine liters. A copy of the original invoice shall be available for inspection by persons authorized to enforce the alcoholic beverage laws of this State for a minimum period of three years at the licensed premises.
As used in this subsection:
"Hard cider" means a fermented alcoholic beverage derived primarily from apples, pears, apple juice concentrate and water, or pear juice concentrate and water, which may include spices, herbs, honey, or other flavoring, and which contains at least one half of one percent but less than eight and one half percent alcohol by volume.
"Mead" means an alcoholic beverage primarily made from honey, water, and yeast, and which may contain fruit, fruit juices, spices, or herbs added before or after fermentation has completed, except that the ratio of fermentable sugars from fruit or fruit juices shall not exceed 49 percent of the total fermentable sugars used to produce mead.
"Sampling" means the selling at a nominal charge or the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding four ounces of hard cider or mead produced on the licensed premises.
Plenary distillery license. 3a. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to manufacture any distilled alcoholic beverages and rectify, blend, treat and mix, and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The fee for this license shall be $12,500.
Limited distillery license. 3b. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to manufacture and bottle any alcoholic beverages distilled from fruit juices and rectify, blend, treat, mix, compound with wine and add necessary sweetening and flavor to make cordial or liqueur, and to sell and distribute to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution and to warehouse these products. The fee for this license shall be $3,750.
Supplementary limited distillery license. 3c. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to bottle and rebottle, in a quantity to be expressed in said license, dependent upon the following fees, alcoholic beverages distilled from fruit juices by such holder pursuant to a prior plenary or limited distillery license, and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The fee for this license shall be graduated as follows: to so bottle and rebottle not more than 5,000 wine gallons per annum, $313; to so bottle and rebottle not more than 10,000 wine gallons per annum, $625; to so bottle and rebottle without limit as to amount, $1,250.
Craft distillery license. 3d. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to manufacture not more than 20,000 gallons of distilled alcoholic beverages, to rectify, blend, treat and mix distilled alcoholic beverages, to sell and distribute this product to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The holder of this license shall be entitled to sell this product at retail to consumers on the licensed premises of the distillery for consumption on the premises, but only in connection with a tour of the distillery, and for consumption off the premises in a quantity of not more than five liters per person. In addition, the holder of this license may offer any person not more than three samples per calendar day for sampling purposes only. For the purposes of this subsection, "sampling" means the gratuitous offering of an open container not exceeding one-half ounce serving of distilled alcoholic beverage produced on the distillery premises. If the holder of this license holds a bonded warehouse bottling license issued pursuant to subsection 5 of this section, product manufactured in accordance with this subsection and transferred to a bonded warehouse for bottling and storage may be sold at retail and offered for sampling on the licensed premises of the distillery by the holder of this license. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to permit the direct shipment of distilled spirits either within or without this State.
The holder of this license shall not sell food or operate a restaurant on the licensed premises. A holder of this license who certifies that not less than 51 percent of the raw materials used in the production of distilled alcoholic beverages under this section are grown in this State or purchased from providers located in this State may, consistent with all applicable federal laws and regulations, label these distilled alcoholic beverages as "New Jersey Distilled." The fee for this license shall be $938.
Rectifier and blender license. 4. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to rectify, blend, treat and mix distilled alcoholic beverages, and to fortify, blend, and treat fermented alcoholic beverages, and prepare mixtures of alcoholic beverages, and to sell and distribute his products to wholesalers and retailers licensed in accordance with this chapter, and to sell and distribute without this State to any persons pursuant to the laws of the places of such sale and distribution, and to maintain a warehouse. The fee for this license shall be $7,500.
Bonded warehouse bottling license. 5. The holder of this license shall be entitled, subject to rules and regulations, to bottle alcoholic beverages in bond on behalf of all persons authorized by federal and State law and regulations to withdraw alcoholic beverages from bond. The fee for this license shall be $625. This license shall be issued only to persons holding permits to operate Internal Revenue bonded warehouses pursuant to the laws of the United States.
The provisions of section 21 of P.L.2003, c.117 amendatory of this section shall apply to licenses issued or transferred on or after July 1, 2003, and to license renewals commencing on or after July 1, 2003.
2. R.S.33:1-26 is amended to read as follows:
License, terms, transfer; fee.
33:1-26. All licenses shall be for a term of one year from July 1 in each year. The respective fees for any such license shall be prorated according to the effective date of the license and based on the respective annual fee as in this chapter provided. Where the license fee deposited with the application exceeds the prorated fee, a refund of the excess shall be made to the licensee. Licenses are not transferable except as hereinafter provided. The holders of a plenary winery license or farm winery license who are engaged in an alternating proprietorship pursuant to subsection 2a. or 2b. of R.S.33:1-10 shall be permitted to share a place of business on an alternating basis for production of wine in a manner consistent with regulations promulgated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Approval by the director to engage in an alternating proprietorship shall be conditioned upon the ongoing approval of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the alternating proprietorship. A separate license is required for each specific place of business, except as otherwise provided in this section for the holders of a plenary winery license or the farm winery license who are engaged in an alternating proprietorship, and the operation and effect of every license is confined to the licensed premises. No retail license of any class shall be issued to any holder of a manufacturer's or wholesaler's license, and no manufacturer's or wholesaler's license shall be issued to the holder of a retail license of any class. Any person who shall exercise or attempt to exercise, or hold himself out as authorized to exercise, the rights and privileges of a licensee except the licensee and then only with respect to the licensed premises, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
In case of death, bankruptcy, receivership or incompetency of the licensee, or if for any other reason whatsoever the operation of the business covered by the license shall devolve by operation of law upon a person other than the licensee, the director or the issuing authority may, in his or its discretion, extend the license for a limited time, not exceeding its term, to the executor, administrator, trustee, receiver or other person upon whom the same has devolved by operation of law as aforesaid. Under no circumstances, however, shall a license, or rights thereunder, be deemed property, subject to inheritance, sale, pledge, lien, levy, attachment, execution, seizure for debts, or any other transfer or disposition whatsoever, except for payment of taxes, fees, interest and penalties imposed by any State tax law for which a lien may attach pursuant to R.S.54:49-1 or pursuant to the State Uniform Tax Procedure Law, R.S.54:48-1 et seq., or any similar State lien of tax, except to the extent expressly provided by this chapter.
On application made therefor setting forth the same matters and things with reference to the premises to which a transfer of license is sought as are required to be set forth in connection with an original application for license, as to the premises, and after publication of notice of intention to apply for transfer, in the same manner as is required in case of an application for license as to the premises, the director or other issuing authority may transfer, upon payment of a fee of 10% of the annual license fee for the license sought to be transferred, any license issued by him or it respectively to a different place of business than that specified therein, by endorsing permission upon the license.
On application made therefor setting forth the same matters and things with reference to the person to whom a transfer of license is sought as are required to be set forth in connection with an original application for license, which application for transfer shall be signed and sworn to by the person to whom the transfer of license is sought and shall bear the consent in writing of the licensee to the transfer, and after publication of notice of intention by the person to whom the transfer of license is sought, to apply for transfer in the same manner as is required in the case of an original application for license, the director or other issuing authority, as the case may be, may transfer any license issued by him or it respectively to the applicant for transfer by endorsing the license. The application and the applicant shall comply with all requirements of this chapter pertaining to an original application for license and shall be accompanied, in lieu of the license fee required on the original application, by a fee of 10% of the annual license fee for the license sought to be transferred, which 10% shall be retained by the director or other issuing authority, as the case may be, whether the transfer be granted or not, and accounted for as other license fees.
If the other issuing authority shall refuse to grant a transfer the applicant shall be notified forthwith of the refusal by a notice served personally upon the applicant, or sent to him by registered mail addressed to him at the address stated in the application, and the applicant may, within 30 days after the date of service or mailing of the notice, appeal to the director from the action of the issuing authority. If the other issuing authority shall grant a transfer, any taxpayer or other aggrieved person opposing the grant of the transfer may, within 30 days after the grant of the transfer, appeal to the director from the action of the issuing authority.
No person who would fail to qualify as a licensee under this chapter shall be knowingly employed by or connected in any business capacity whatsoever with a licensee. A person failing to qualify as to age or by reason of conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude may, with the approval of the director, and subject to rules and regulations, be employed by any licensee, but the employee if disqualified by age shall not, in any manner whatsoever serve, sell or solicit the sale or participate in the manufacture, rectification, blending, treating, fortification, mixing, processing or bottling of any alcoholic beverage; and further provided, that no permit shall be necessary for the employment in a bona fide hotel or restaurant of any person failing to qualify as to age so long as the person shall not in any manner whatsoever serve, sell or solicit the sale of any alcoholic beverage, or participate in the mixing, processing or preparation thereof. Except for a person convicted of a sex offense as enumerated in subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:7-2 or a person convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude committed while employed on a licensed premises, a person who has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude may be employed by a Class C licensee without obtaining the approval of the director or a rehabilitation employment permit provided the person's responsibilities do not involve serving, selling or soliciting the sale of any alcoholic beverage; participating in the mixing, processing or preparation of alcoholic beverages; providing private security or admission-monitoring services for the premises; or providing or participating in any management or professional services.
Each person seeking to be employed or connected in any business capacity whatsoever with a licensee shall submit to the director the applicant's name, address, fingerprints and written consent for a criminal history record background check to be performed. The director is authorized to receive criminal history record information from the State Bureau of Identification in the Division of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation consistent with applicable State and federal laws, rules and regulations. The applicant shall bear the cost for the criminal history record background check, including all costs of administering and processing the check. The Division of State Police shall promptly notify the director in the event a current holder of a license or prospective applicant, who was the subject of a criminal history record background check pursuant to this section, is arrested for a crime or offense in this State after the date the background check was performed.
Any request for relief under this section shall be accompanied by a nonreturnable filing fee of $100 payable to the director.
C.33:1-10a Alternating proprietorship arrangement, final approval.
3. The director shall have final approval of an alternating proprietorship arrangement, as established in subsections 2a. and 2b. of R.S.33:1-10, approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the division, including regulations governing recordkeeping and reporting. If the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau determines that the alternating proprietorship is not a bona fide arrangement, or if the plenary winery or farm winery applicant does not qualify as an independent bonded winery, the applicant shall not be eligible to enter into an alternating proprietorship arrangement.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Approved August 16, 2023.
