A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 61-6-1810, RELATING TO APPLICATIONS AND FEES, SO AS TO amend CERTAIN FEES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED TO SELL ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS BY THE DRINK ON SUNDAYS; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 61-6-2010, RELATING TO TEMPORARY PERMITS, SO AS TO amend a certain fee and REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OFFER CERTAIN ANNUAL FIFTY-TWO WEEK TEMPORARY PERMITS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.  Section 61-6-1810 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    Section 61-6-1810. (A) A person making application for a license under subarticle 1 of this article must submit his application to the department. The applicant must pay a nonrefundable filing fee of one hundred dollars which must accompany the initial application for each location. The department has exclusive authority in issuing, renewing, suspending, or revoking a license pursuant to the provisions of this article.

    (B) Applications for licenses must also be accompanied by appropriate license fees payable to the department. License fees must be deposited with the State Treasurer or are refundable if a license is not issued. The schedule of fees for the license is:

       (1) one thousand, five hundred dollars biennially for a nonprofit organization, as defined in Section 61-6-20(6);

       (2) one thousand, five hundred dollars biennially for a business establishment, as described in Section 61-6-1610.;

       (3) one thousand eight hundred dollars biennially for a business establishment that is authorized to sell alcoholic liquors by the drink on Sunday.

    (C) A person who initially applies for a license after the first day of a license period must pay license fees in accordance with the schedule provided in this subsection. During the:

       (1) first quarter of the license period: the entire fee;

       (2) second quarter of the license period: three-fourths of the prescribed fee;

       (3) third quarter of the license period: one-half of the prescribed fee;

       (4) final quarter of the license year: one-fourth of the prescribed fee.

SECTION 2.  Section 61-6-2010(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

    (A) In addition to the provisions of Section 61-6-2000, the department may issue a temporary permit to allow the possession, sale, and consumption of alcoholic liquors by the drink. This permit is valid for a period not to exceed twenty-four hours and may be issued only to bona fide nonprofit organizations and business establishments otherwise authorized to be licensed for sales. The department shall charge a nonrefundable filing fee of one hundred dollars for processing each application and a daily permit fee of fifty two dollars and fifty cents for each day for which a permit is approved. An application must be filed for each permit requested. The department must also offer the option of an annual fifty-two week temporary permit for a nonrefundable fee of three thousand dollars per year.  However, the optional fifty-two week permit must not extend beyond the expiration date of the biennial license issued pursuant to this chapter.  If the expiration date is less than fifty-two weeks from the date of the application for the optional fifty-two week permit, the department must prorate the three thousand dollar fee on a monthly basis.  The department in its sole discretion shall specify the terms and conditions of the permit.

SECTION 3.  This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

----XX----