Allows open-container entertainment zones in San Francisco

(1)The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act contains various provisions regulating the application for, the issuance of, the suspension of, and the conditions imposed upon alcoholic beverage licenses by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Existing law provides for various annual fees for the issuance of alcoholic beverage licenses, depending upon the type of license issued. Existing law authorizes the department to issue a music venue license, as defined, that allows the licensee to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits at retail for consumption on the premises in a music entertainment facility, as defined. Existing law makes selling, giving, delivering, or purchasing an alcoholic beverage between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. of the same day a misdemeanor. Existing law further limits a music venue licensee’s authorization to sell, serve, and permit consumption of alcoholic beverages to the time period from 2 hours before a live performance until one hour after the live performance. Existing law authorizes the department to make any examination of the books and records of any licensee and makes any person who fails to preserve the books for inspection guilty of a misdemeanor.

This bill would authorize a licensee under a music venue license to apply to the department for a duplicate license or licenses, as prescribed. The bill would also authorize a music venue licensee to sell, serve, and permit consumption of alcoholic beverages during private events or private functions not open to the general public within any hours of operation permitted by its license, regardless of whether any live performance occurs. The bill would exempt the licensee from having to meet certain requirements generally imposed on a music entertainment facility in connection with and during a private event or private function if specified conditions are met. The bill would require the licensee to keep records demonstrating compliance with these provisions for the preceding 3 calendar years and to provide these records to the department upon request. The bill would make a licensee’s failure to keep the required records or provide them to the department grounds for disciplinary action punishable as a misdemeanor and would, therefore, expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.

(2)Under existing law, any person possessing an open container of an alcoholic beverage in any city, county, or city and county-owned public place, as specified, or any regional park or recreation and park district, is guilty of an infraction if the city or county has enacted an ordinance that prohibits the possession of those containers or the consumption of alcoholic beverages in those areas, except as specified.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, authorizes the legislative body of any city or county to adopt ordinances regulating zoning within its jurisdiction, as specified.

Existing law authorizes a licensed beer manufacturer, a licensed winegrower, and any on-sale licensee to sell certain alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off the premises, as specified.

This bill, additionally, would authorize a licensed beer manufacturer, a licensed winegrower, and any on-sale licensee to permit consumers to leave the premises with open containers of alcoholic beverages for consumption off the premises within an entertainment zone, subject to certain conditions. The bill would define “entertainment zone” for purposes of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act as a zone created by ordinance on or after January 1, 2024, in the City and County of San Francisco, that authorizes consumption of one or more types of alcoholic beverages on public streets, sidewalks, or public rights-of-way adjacent to and during a special event permitted or licensed by the department. The bill would require the City and County of San Francisco, if it establishes an entertainment zone, to provide specified information relating to the entertainment zone to the department and establish a process or procedure by which persons in possession of alcoholic beverages in the entertainment zone may be readily identifiable as being 21 years of age or older.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for City and County of San Francisco.

(3)This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 23357 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 788 to be operative only if this bill and SB 788 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 23358 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by AB 1704 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1704 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

(4)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.