Alcoholic beverages: tied-house restrictions: exceptions.

Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, which is administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the application, issuance, and suspension of alcoholic beverage licenses. Existing law, known as tied-house restrictions, generally prohibits a manufacturer, winegrower, manufacturer's agent, rectifier, California winegrower's agent, distiller, bottler, importer, or wholesaler, or any officer, director, or agent of any of those licensees, from giving or lending money or a thing of value to a person operating, owning, or maintaining any on-sale premises where alcoholic beverages are sold. Existing law creates a variety of exceptions to tied-house restrictions, including for specified places and activities. This bill would create an exception from tied-house restrictions for a hotel consisting of not less than 25 guestroom accommodations with an outdoor piazza or motor court of approximately 9,000 square feet located on Sunset Boulevard in the City of West Hollywood. In this regard, the bill would authorize a manufacturer, winegrower, manufacturer's agent, California winegrower's agent, rectifier, distiller, bottler, importer, wholesaler, or out-of-state distilled spirits shipper to purchase advertising space and time in connection with the hotel if specified conditions are met. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of West Hollywood.