Alcoholic beverages: tied-house restrictions: advertising.

Existing law generally restricts certain alcoholic beverage licensees, including manufacturers and winegrowers, from paying, crediting, or compensating a retailer for advertising in connection with the advertising and sale of alcoholic beverages. Existing law expressly authorizes a beer manufacturer, holder of a winegrower's license, winegrower's agent, holder of an importer's general license, distilled spirits manufacturer, holder of a distilled spirits rectifier's general license, or a distilled spirits manufacturer's agent to sponsor events promoted by or purchase advertising space and time from, or on behalf of, a live entertainment marketing company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of a live entertainment company that has its principal place of business in the County of Los Angeles, as provided. This bill would expressly authorize an authorized licensee, as defined, to sponsor events promoted by or purchase advertising space and time from, or on behalf of, a live entertainment marketing company in connection with events organized and conducted by the live entertainment marketing company at the San Diego County Fairgrounds, under specified conditions. The bill would also make an authorized licensee who, through coercion or other illegal means, induces the holder of a wholesaler's license to fulfill those contractual obligations entered into pursuant to these provisions guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would additionally make an on-sale retail licensee, as described, who solicits or coerces a holder of a wholesaler's license to solicit an authorized licensee to purchase advertising time or space pursuant to these provisions guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would make a related statement of findings. By creating new crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of San Diego. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.