SPONSOR: |
Rep. Longhurst & Sen. Sokola & Sen. Poore Reps. Hensley, Hudson, Miro, Mitchell, Mulrooney,
Ramone, D. Short, Smyk, Spiegelman, Viola, Sens. Cloutier, Henry, Peterson |
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 148th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
HOUSE BILL NO. 156 |
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 4 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. |
Section 1. Amend §709, Title 4 of
the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining and deletions as
shown by strike through as follows:
§ 709. Prohibition of sales at
certain times.
(a) No manufacturer or importer shall sell or deliver alcoholic liquor on
any holiday specified in subsection (d) of this section, or at hours other than
those prescribed by the rules or regulations of the Commissioner, except as
subsection (f) of this section may apply.
(b) No holder of a license for the sale of spirits, wines or beer in a
store shall sell or deliver the same on any holiday specified in subsection (d)
of this section, or between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. of any other day
except as subsection (f) of this section may apply and on Fridays and
Saturdays during the months of October through December a holder of a license to for the sale of
spirits, wines or beer in a store may sell or deliver the same between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. The closing hours may be made earlier in
any municipality having a population of 50,000 or more persons, by ordinance of
the municipal corporation; provided however, that such ordinance be consistent
with the Delaware state and federal constitutions as well as treat all
businesses fairly.
(c) No holder Except as provided in subsection (b) herein, no
holder of a license for the sale of alcoholic liquor shall sell the same
between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. The closing hour may be made
earlier in any municipality by ordinance of the municipal corporation. The sale
of alcoholic liquors by a licensee for consumption on the premises where sold
shall be permitted on every day of the year; provided, that no licensee shall
be required to be open to sell alcoholic liquors on any of the holidays
specified in subsection (d) of this section. Any holder of a license to sell
alcoholic liquor, including stores and taprooms, who wishes to sell alcoholic
liquors on Sundays, except a gathering license, shall pay a biennial license
fee of $500 for the issuance of a special license to serve alcoholic liquors on
Sundays, which shall be in addition to any other license fees which may be
required of the licensee. If a licensee holds a license to sell for on-premises
consumption and off-premises consumption it shall only be required to purchase
1 special license if it wishes to serve alcoholic liquors on Sunday.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following shall be considered
holidays: Sundays, except the Sunday before Christmas when Christmas falls on a
Monday and the Sunday before New Year's Day when New Year's Day falls on a
Monday; Thanksgiving Day; Christmas; and Easter.
When the Sunday before Christmas and the Sunday before New Year's Day are
not considered holidays, the sale of spirits, wine, and beer may occur only
between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
(e) In the municipalities and other political subdivisions of this State
where daylight saving time is observed, whether authorized by law or by custom,
daylight saving time shall apply to the hours mentioned in this section for the
period during which daylight saving time exists.
(f) Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section, importers or holders
of a license for the sale of spirits, wines or beer may deliver beer on Sundays
in motor vehicles equipped with permanently-installed devices for the
refrigeration and dispensing of beer to licensed gatherings only; provided,
however, that such licensee shall have first given notice of such delivery to
the Commissioner.
(g) The prohibition of sales on Sunday under subsection (d) of this
section shall exclude Delaware wineries and farm wineries, who may sell their
product to persons of legal drinking age pursuant to § 708 of this title, for
consumption off-premises, between the hours of 12 noon and 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Where other major holidays as listed in this section fall on Sunday, sales
shall be prohibited on that day.
(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, a
holder of a license for the sale of spirits, wine or beer in a store or taproom
off may, at the licensee's discretion, sell spirits, wine or beer on Sundays
between the hours of 12:00 noon and 8:00 p.m. during the months of January
through September and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. during the
months of October through December.
Any holder of a license for the sale of spirits, wine or beer in a store
or taproom off who chooses to conduct business on Sundays may, at his or her
discretion, remain closed for business on one other day of the week without
notice to or prior approval from the Commissioner, provided that the store's or
taproom off's daily hours are conspicuously posted on the store's or taproom
off's front window or door. Any municipality with a population of 50,000 or
more may limit sales within the boundaries of the municipality pursuant to this
subsection to a maximum of 4 hours as established by ordinance of the
municipality. Notwithstanding this subsection, a holder of a license for the
sale of spirits, wine or beer in a store or taproom off shall remain closed for
business on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday.
SYNOPSIS
This bill continues the process of updating the Liquor Control Act to make it more consumer-friendly. The bill allows stores that sell alcohol to open at 8:00 a.m., instead of 9:00 a.m., on Fridays and Saturdays during the months of October, November and December. The bill also allows stores that sell alcohol to open at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays, instead of noon, during the months of October, November and December. |