HOUSE BILL No. 4221

 

February 8, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Vagnozzi, Plakas, Gonzales and Condino and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

 

     A bill to amend 1998 PA 58, entitled

 

"Michigan liquor control code of 1998,"

 

by amending section 521 (MCL 436.1521), as amended by 1998 PA 282.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 521. (1)  In addition to any licenses for the sale of

 

alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises that may be

 

available in the local governmental unit under section 531(1), and

 

the resort and resort economic development licenses authorized in

 

section 531(2), (3), and (4)  Beginning the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added section 521a, the commission  may  shall

 

not issue  not more than 50  any tavern or class C licenses  to  

 

under this section. However, those licenses issued under this

 

section on or before the effective date of section 521a shall


 

remain valid and may be renewed if in compliance with this section.

 

The commission shall renew licenses issued under this section

 

before the effective date of the amendatory act that added section

 

521a for persons who operate businesses that meet all of the

 

following conditions:

 

     (a) The business is a full service restaurant, is open to the

 

public, and prepares food on the premises.

 

     (b) The business is open for food service not less than 10

 

hours per day, 5 days a week.

 

     (c) At least 50% of the gross receipts of the business are

 

derived from the sale of food for consumption on the premises. For

 

purposes of this subdivision, food does not include beer and wine.

 

     (d) The business has dining facilities to seat not less than

 

25 persons.

 

     (e) The business is located in a development district with a

 

population of not more than 50,000, in which the  authority

 

development district, after a public hearing, has found that the

 

issuance of the license would prevent further deterioration within

 

the development district and promote economic growth within the

 

development district.  The commission shall not issue the license

 

unless the local unit of government within which the authority is

 

located, after holding a public hearing, passes a resolution

 

concurring in the findings of the authority.

 

     (2) The individual signing the application for the license

 

shall state and demonstrate that the applicant attempted to secure

 

an appropriate on-premise escrowed license or quota license issued

 

under section 531 and that, to the best of his or her knowledge, an


 

on-premise license or quota license issued under section 531 is not

 

readily available within the local unit of government in which the

 

applicant proposes to operate.

 

     (2)   (3)  If in any licensing year the sale of food for

 

consumption on the premises of the business represents less than

 

50% of the gross receipts for the business, the commission, after

 

due notice and proper hearing, shall revoke the license issued

 

under subsection (1).

 

      (4) Not more than 1 license shall be issued under subsection

 

(1) to any individual, partnership, limited partnership, limited

 

liability company, corporation, or any combination of any of the

 

above, including stockholders, general partners, or limited

 

partners.

 

     (3) A license issued under this section is transferable as to

 

ownership or location only within the development district.

 

     (4)   (5)  The commission shall not issue a specially

 

designated merchant license, specially designated distributor

 

license, or any other license that allows the sale of alcoholic

 

liquor for consumption off the premises in conjunction with a

 

license issued under  subsection (1)  this section or at the

 

premises for which a license has been issued under  subsection (1)  

 

this section.

 

      (6) The commission shall not issue a license under this

 

section if the local governmental unit within which the development

 

district is located has not issued all appropriate on-premise

 

licenses available under section 531(1) or if an appropriate on-

 

premise escrowed license is readily available in any local unit of


 

government in which the development district is located. The

 

commission shall not issue more than 2 licenses authorized under

 

this section in any city or municipality with a population greater

 

than 50,000. If an applicant's proposed location is within more

 

than 1 development district, the applicant shall obtain the

 

approval of both or all of the applicable local units of government

 

or development districts.

 

     (7) The commission may issue the licenses under this section

 

without regard to the order in which the applications for the

 

licenses are received.

 

     (8) The commission shall annually report to the legislature

 

the names of the businesses issued licenses under this section and

 

their locations.

 

     (5)   (9)  As used in this section,  : (a) "Development  

 

"development district" means any of the following:

 

     (a)   (i)  An authority district established under the tax

 

increment finance authority act, 1980 PA 450, MCL 125.1801 to

 

125.1830.

 

     (b)   (ii)  An authority district established under the local

 

development financing act, 1986 PA 281, MCL 125.2151 to 125.2174.

 

     (c)   (iii)  A downtown district established under 1975 PA 197,

 

MCL 125.1651 to 125.1681.

 

     (d)   (iv)  A principal shopping district established under

 

1961 PA 120, MCL 125.981 to  125.987  125.990m, before January 1,

 

1996.

 

      (b) "Escrowed license" means a license in which the rights of

 

the licensee in the license or to the renewal of the license are


 

still in existence and are subject to renewal and activation in the

 

manner provided for in R 436.1107 of the Michigan administrative

 

code.

 

     (c) "Readily available" means available under a standard of

 

economic feasibility, as applied to the specific circumstances of

 

the applicant, that includes but is not limited to the following:

 

     (i) The fair market value of the license, if determinable.

 

     (ii) The size and scope of the proposed operation.

 

     (iii) The existence of mandatory contractual restrictions or

 

inclusions attached to the sale of the license.

 

     Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4220(request no.

 

01436'05) of the 93rd Legislature is enacted into law.