Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
Senator THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Oroho, Doherty and O'Scanlon
SYNOPSIS
Permits theaters with 100 seats or more to apply for liquor license.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning plenary retail consumption licenses and amending P.L.1985, c.151.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1985, c.151 (C.33:1-19.7) is amended to read as follows:
1. It shall be lawful for the governing board or body of any municipality, upon the approval of the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, to issue a plenary retail consumption license to a nonprofit corporation, which regularly conducts musical or theatrical performances or concerts for which admission is charged, on premises with a seating capacity of [1,000] 100 persons or more which is primarily used for the conducting of the musical or theatrical performances or concerts, authorizing the sale of alcoholic beverages by the nonprofit corporation or its restaurant operator who has been approved pursuant to procedures established by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control for consumption on the licensed premises only during performances and the two hours immediately preceding and the two hours immediately following performances.
For the purposes of this section, "licensed premises" shall include the premises where the musical or theatrical performance or concert is held and any adjacent premises owned and operated by the licensee.
A license issued under the provisions of this act shall not be counted in determining the number of licenses under P.L.1947, c.94 (C.33:1-12.13 et seq.) or under P.L.1968, c.277 (C.40:48-2.40 et seq.).
(cf: P.L.1994, c.18, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill reduces from 1,000 to 100 the number of seats required for a theater to be eligible to apply for a special license to serve alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises. The bill also requires the holder of this special license to be a nonprofit corporation that regularly conducts musical or theatrical performances or concerts, for which admission is charged, and uses the license in connection with premises that are primarily used for those activities.
Under current law, municipalities are authorized to issue a special plenary retail consumption license, known as a “theater license,” to a nonprofit corporation which conducts musical or theatrical performances or concerts on the premises if there is a seating capacity of 1,000 persons or more. The holder of this special license may only serve alcoholic beverages for consumption on the licensed premises during the performance, as well as two hours before and two hours after the performance.