Alcoholic beverages: hours of sale.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act provides that any on- or off-sale licensee, or agent or employee of the licensee, who sells, gives, or delivers to any person any alcoholic beverage between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. of the same day, and any person who knowingly purchases any alcoholic beverages between those hours, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Existing law provides for moneys collected as fees pursuant to the act to be deposited in the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund, with those moneys generally allocated to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control upon appropriation by the Legislature. This bill, beginning January 1, 2025, and before January 2, 2028, would require the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to conduct a pilot program that would authorize the department to issue an additional hours license to an on-sale licensee located in a qualified city that would authorize, with or without conditions, the selling, giving, or purchasing of alcoholic beverages at the licensed premises between the hours of 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on weekends and specified holidays, and between the hours of 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on all other days upon completion of specified requirements by the qualified city in which the licensee is located. The bill would impose specified fees related to the license to be deposited in the Alcohol Beverage Control Fund. The bill would require the applicant to notify specified persons of the application for an additional hours license and would provide a procedure for protest and hearing regarding the application. The bill would require the Department of the California Highway Patrol and each qualified city that has elected to participate in the program to submit reports to the Legislature and specified committees regarding the regional impact of the additional hours licenses, as specified. The bill would provide that any person under 21 years of age who enters and remains in the licensed public premises during the additional serving hour without lawful business therein is guilty of a misdemeanor, as provided. The pilot program would apply to the Cities of Palm Springs and West Hollywood and the City and County of San Francisco. This bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating new crimes. 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 make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the qualified cities.