An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, in licenses and regulations for liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, further providing for license auction.
What changed between versions
Added Mentzer as an additional bill sponsor alongside Fee, Rowe, Staats, M. Brown, and Smith.
Changed the payment deadline for winning bidders from two weeks to six months (with a 30-day clarification added).
Increased transfer application fees from a flat $25,000 to tiered fees: $50,000 for first through fourth class counties and $25,000 for fifth through eighth class counties.
Added a five-year transfer restriction for licenses awarded in excess auctions that are transferred to a different county than their original location.
Changed the minimum number of excess auctions from 'one' to 'at least one' per calendar year, giving the board more flexibility.
Added a new restriction limiting transfers to the same county to no more than two licenses per year from excess auctions.
Added a preference provision requiring the board to prioritize applicants with the highest bid amounts when considering transfer requests into the same county.
Added a new subsection clarifying that all auction and transfer fees must be deposited into the State Stores Fund and may be transferred to the General Fund as part of annual profit transfers.
