ASSEMBLY LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1556

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 9, 1997

      The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1556.    

      Assembly Bill No. 1556 amends section 1 of P.L.1971, c.184 (C.33:1-40.3) to permit first class cities to regulate certain alcoholic beverage sales by ordinance.

      Under the provisions of the bill, cities of the first class would be permitted to establish separate hours during which the various types of retail licensees established under R.S.33:1-12 may sell alcoholic beverages and the hours during which those licensees may sell for on-premise and off-premise consumption.

      Municipalities are statutorily required to permit the sale of wine and beer for off-premise consumption (liquor store sales/retail licensees) on the same days and during the same hours that bars (retail consumption licensees) are permitted to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption by their patrons.

      In 1991, with the enactment of P.L.1991, c.370, first class cities were exempted from this requirement. In addition, that statute prohibited first class cities that did not permit the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption on Sundays (bar sales) from allowing retail licensees to sell wine and beer on Sundays. This bill removes that prohibition.

      It is the committee's understanding that the provisions of the bill would apply only to Newark and Jersey City.