Alcoholic beverages: tied-house restrictions.

Existing law prohibits specified holders of alcoholic beverage licenses from having specified relationships with an on-sale alcoholic beverage licensee, with limited exceptions. Existing law permits a manufacturer, winegrower, rectifier, distiller, distilled spirits wholesaler, or any agent of those licenses, to conduct market research and, in connection with that research, to purchase from licensed off-sale retailers data, regarding purchases and sales of alcoholic beverage products, at the customary rates that those retailers sell similar data for nonalcoholic beverage products, provided that no licensed retailer shall be obligated to purchase or sell the alcoholic beverages of the manufacturer, winegrower, rectifier, or distiller. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act provides that a violation of its provisions is a misdemeanor, unless otherwise specified. This bill would additionally include a distilled spirits wholesaler in the provision prohibiting a licensed retailer from being obligated to purchase or sell the alcoholic beverages of the licensee conducting the market research. Because the violation of a specified provision of this provision is punishable as a misdemeanor, the bill both creates a new crime and expands the definition of an existing crime, thereby creating a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.