Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes a pilot program in which alcohol can be sold, given, or purchased until 3 AM in Cathedral City, Coachella, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Francisco, and West Hollywood.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, starting January 1, 2022, to carry out a pilot program in which additional hours licenses will be authorized and given to individual on-sale licensed premises for the selling, giving, or purchasing of alcoholic beverages between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. if the local governing body of a qualified city completes the following requirements (Sec. 4):

• Assigns a task force with at least one member of law enforcement and one additional member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, to produce a recommended local plan meeting specified requirements; and

• Adopts an ordinance that follows the various components of the local plan, and submits their ordinance to the Department.

• Defines “qualified city” as the cities of Cathedral City, Coachella, Fresno, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Palm Springs, Sacramento, and West Hollywood (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that the Department will start reviewing ordinances January 1, 2020 (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that additional hours licenses cannot be applied for until after the Department has received an ordinance (Sec. 4).

• Requires on-sale licensees with an additional hours license to have all individuals who will be involved in the sale or service of alcohol during the additional hours period to finish a responsible beverage training course (Sec. 4).

• Requires individuals applying for an additional hours license to notify the city’s law enforcement agencies, any residents located within 500 feet of the premises through which the license will be utilized, and other interested parties specified by the local governing body, about their application within 30 days of the filing of the application (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes protests to be filed within 30 days from the first date of notice of the filing of the application (Sec. 4).

• Requires individuals who are on licensed premises during the additional hours period to be at least 21 years of age (Sec. 4).

• Specifies that, between January 1, 2022 and January 2, 2027, in a qualified city with additional serving hours, any on-sale licensee or agent or employee of the licensee, selling, giving, or delivering an alcoholic beverage to another individual, or any individual buying an alcoholic beverage between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. will be guilty of a misdemeanor (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text