BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 540

By: Eltife

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that recently enacted legislation regarding the qualifications for a retail dealer's on-premise late hours license lacked clarity and did not clearly align the qualifications for this license with the qualifications for existing late hours licenses. S.B. 540 seeks to provide clarity with regard to this matter by amending the applicable law.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 540 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to clarify that the holder of a retail dealer's on-premise late hours license may sell beer for consumption on the premises on Sunday between the hours of 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. and on any other day between the hours of 12 noon and 2 a.m. if the premises covered by the license are in an area where the sale of beer during those hours is authorized under specified statutory provisions governing the hours of sale for beer.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.