House Study Bill 187



                                  HOUSE FILE       
                                  BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
                                       REGULATION AND LABOR BILL BY
                                       CHAIRPERSON JENKINS)


    Passed House, Date                Passed Senate,  Date            
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act providing for the privatization of the state liquor
  2    warehouse, and providing penalties.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 1384YC 81
  5 ec/gg/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 123.3, subsection 36, Code 2005, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    36.  "Wholesaler" means any person, other than a distiller
  1  4 or rectifier of alcoholic liquor, vintner, brewer, or bottler
  1  5 of beer or wine, who shall sell, barter, exchange, offer for
  1  6 sale, have in possession with intent to sell, deal, or traffic
  1  7 in alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer.  A wholesaler shall not
  1  8 sell for consumption upon the premises.
  1  9    Sec. 2.  Section 123.19, subsections 1 and 4, Code 2005,
  1 10 are amended to read as follows:
  1 11    1.  Any manufacturer, distiller, or importer of alcoholic
  1 12 beverages shipping, selling, or having alcoholic beverages
  1 13 brought into this state for resale by the state or for
  1 14 wholesale as provided in section 123.42A shall, as a condition
  1 15 precedent to the privilege of so trafficking in alcoholic
  1 16 liquors in this state, annually make application for and hold
  1 17 a distiller's certificate of compliance which shall be issued
  1 18 by the administrator for that purpose.  No brand of alcoholic
  1 19 liquor shall be sold by the division in this state unless the
  1 20 manufacturer, distiller, importer, and all other persons
  1 21 participating in the distribution of that brand in this state
  1 22 have obtained a certificate.  The certificate of compliance
  1 23 shall expire at the end of one year from the date of issuance
  1 24 and shall be renewed for a like period upon application to the
  1 25 administrator unless otherwise suspended or revoked for cause.
  1 26 Each application for a certificate of compliance or renewal
  1 27 shall be made in a manner and upon forms prescribed by the
  1 28 administrator and shall be accompanied by a fee of fifty
  1 29 dollars payable to the division.  However, the fee requirement
  1 30 as provided in this subsection need not apply to a
  1 31 manufacturer, distiller, or importer who ships or sells in
  1 32 this state no more than eleven gallons or its case equivalent
  1 33 during any fiscal year as a result of "special orders" which
  1 34 might be placed, as defined and allowed by divisional rules
  1 35 adopted under this chapter.
  2  1    4.  Any violation of the requirements of this section,
  2  2 except subsection 3, shall subject the violator to the general
  2  3 penalties provided in this chapter and in addition to the
  2  4 general penalties, is grounds for suspension or revocation of
  2  5 the certificate of compliance or wholesale license, after
  2  6 notice and hearing before the administrator.  Willful failure
  2  7 to comply with requirements which may be imposed under
  2  8 subsection 3 is grounds for suspension or revocation of the
  2  9 certificate of compliance only.
  2 10    Sec. 3.  Section 123.19, Code 2005, is amended by adding
  2 11 the following new subsection:
  2 12    NEW SUBSECTION.  7.  Each holder of a certificate of
  2 13 compliance shall report monthly to the division on forms
  2 14 provided for that purpose, a list of all alcoholic liquors by
  2 15 package size, kind, and quantity sold to licensed wholesalers
  2 16 in this state and a list of the wholesalers who received the
  2 17 size, kind, and quantity of alcoholic liquors purchased.
  2 18 Prior to shipment, the certificate holder shall post with the
  2 19 division the F.O.B. or dock price of the alcoholic liquor
  2 20 which shall be the same as the price would be if sold to the
  2 21 division.  The division shall establish the markup that shall
  2 22 be remitted to the division upon sale of the alcoholic liquor
  2 23 to licensed retailers for both on=premises and off=premises
  2 24 consumption.  The division may also sell liquor to wholesalers
  2 25 for resale to licensed retailers.  The division shall bill the
  2 26 alcoholic liquor cost but shall not collect the established
  2 27 markup on alcoholic liquor to wholesalers until the alcoholic
  2 28 liquor is sold at wholesale to retailers.  All liquor
  2 29 wholesalers shall sell only those brands of alcoholic liquor
  2 30 which are manufactured, bottled, distilled, rectified,
  2 31 shipped, or imported by a person holding a current distiller's
  2 32 certificate of compliance.  All alcoholic liquor shipped into
  2 33 this state or acquired from the division shall come to rest in
  2 34 a warehouse located in this state prior to its resale at
  2 35 wholesale.  The warehouse of the wholesaler shall be the
  3  1 licensed premises.  A holder of a certificate of compliance or
  3  2 the holder's agent, or a liquor wholesaler or the wholesaler's
  3  3 agent, shall not discriminate between retail licensees
  3  4 authorized to sell alcoholic liquor for consumption either on
  3  5 premises or off premises.  A holder of a distiller's
  3  6 certificate of compliance or the distiller's agent shall not
  3  7 engage in the business of selling alcoholic liquor to licensed
  3  8 wholesalers by discriminating as to the price at which goods
  3  9 are offered between the wholesalers.
  3 10    Sec. 4.  Section 123.30, subsection 3, paragraphs a, b, c,
  3 11 and e, Code 2005, are amended to read as follows:
  3 12    a.  CLASS "A".  A class "A" liquor control license may be
  3 13 issued to a club and shall authorize the holder to purchase
  3 14 alcoholic liquors from class "E" liquor control licensees or
  3 15 licensed wholesalers only, wine from class "A" wine permittees
  3 16 or class "B" wine permittees who also hold class "E" liquor
  3 17 control licenses   530 wines from native wine manufacturers,
  3 18 and to sell liquors, wine, and beer to bona fide members and
  3 19 their guests by the individual drink for consumption on the
  3 20 premises only.
  3 21    b.  CLASS "B".  A class "B" liquor control license may be
  3 22 issued to a hotel or motel and shall authorize the holder to
  3 23 purchase alcoholic liquors from class "E" liquor control
  3 24 licensees or licensed wholesalers only, and native only, wine
  3 25 from class "A" wine permittees or class "B" wine permittees
  3 26 who also hold class "E" liquor control licenses only, and
  3 27 native wines from native wine manufacturers, and to sell
  3 28 liquors, wine, and beer to patrons by the individual drink for
  3 29 consumption on the premises only.  However, beer may also be
  3 30 sold for consumption off the premises.  Each license shall be
  3 31 effective throughout the premises described in the
  3 32 application.
  3 33    c.  CLASS "C".  A class "C" liquor control license may be
  3 34 issued to a commercial establishment but must be issued in the
  3 35 name of the individuals who actually own the entire business
  4  1 and shall authorize the holder to purchase alcoholic liquors
  4  2 from class "E" liquor control licensees or licensed
  4  3 wholesalers only, wine from class "A" wine permittees or class
  4  4 "B" wine permittees who also hold class "E" liquor control
  4  5 licenses only, and native wines from native wine
  4  6 manufacturers, and to sell liquors, wine, and beer to patrons
  4  7 by the individual drink for consumption on the premises only.
  4  8 However, beer may also be sold for consumption off the
  4  9 premises.
  4 10    A special class "C" liquor control license may be issued
  4 11 and shall authorize the holder to purchase wine from class "A"
  4 12 wine permittees or class "B" wine permittees who also hold
  4 13 class "E" liquor control licenses only, and to sell wine and
  4 14 beer to patrons by the individual drink for consumption on the
  4 15 premises only.  However, beer may also be sold for consumption
  4 16 off the premises.  The license issued to holders of a special
  4 17 class "C" license shall clearly state on its face that the
  4 18 license is limited.
  4 19    e.  CLASS "E".  A class "E" liquor control license may be
  4 20 issued and shall authorize the holder to purchase alcoholic
  4 21 liquor from the division or licensed wholesalers only and to
  4 22 sell the alcoholic liquor to patrons for consumption off the
  4 23 licensed premises and to other liquor control licensees.  A
  4 24 class "E" license shall not be issued to premises at which
  4 25 gasoline is sold.  A holder of a class "E" liquor control
  4 26 license may hold other retail liquor control licenses or
  4 27 retail wine or beer permits, but the premises licensed under a
  4 28 class "E" liquor control license shall be separate from other
  4 29 licensed premises, though the separate premises may have a
  4 30 common entrance.  However, the holder of a class "E" liquor
  4 31 control license may also hold a class "B" wine or class "C"
  4 32 beer permit or both for the premises licensed under a class
  4 33 "E" liquor control license.
  4 34    The division may issue a class "E" liquor control license
  4 35 for premises covered by a liquor control license or wine or
  5  1 beer permit for on=premises consumption, if the premises are
  5  2 in a county having a population under nine thousand five
  5  3 hundred in which no other class "E" liquor control license has
  5  4 been issued by the division, and no other application for a
  5  5 class "E" license has been made within the previous twelve
  5  6 consecutive months.
  5  7    Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  123.42A  WHOLESALER'S LICENSE.
  5  8    1.  Upon application in the prescribed form and accompanied
  5  9 by a fee of two thousand dollars and subject to the provisions
  5 10 of this chapter, the administrator shall grant a license,
  5 11 valid for a one=year period after date of issuance, to a
  5 12 qualifying wholesaler of good moral character, which shall
  5 13 allow the wholesaler to purchase alcoholic liquor from
  5 14 manufacturers either within or without the state for the
  5 15 purpose of selling to the division and customers of the
  5 16 wholesaler engaged in the sale of alcoholic liquor at retail
  5 17 outside the state, and to other licensed wholesalers and
  5 18 retail liquor licensees licensed to sell liquor for
  5 19 consumption either on the premises or off the premises.
  5 20 Alcoholic liquor shall not be sold for consumption on the
  5 21 licensed premises of the wholesaler.
  5 22    2.  A wholesaler may purchase alcoholic liquor from the
  5 23 division for retail sale to class "A", "B", "C", "D", and "E"
  5 24 liquor control licensees.  The division shall charge a
  5 25 wholesaler the same price for alcoholic liquor sold to class
  5 26 "E" liquor control licensees, including the markup required in
  5 27 section 123.24, subsection 4, less a cost computed by the
  5 28 division which the division would have had to assume if
  5 29 alcoholic liquor had been stored and delivered to class "E"
  5 30 licensees by the division.  Wholesalers shall sell only that
  5 31 alcoholic liquor upon which the appropriate markup has been
  5 32 paid to the division.
  5 33    3.  A licensed wholesaler shall keep proper books of
  5 34 account and records showing the amount of alcoholic liquor
  5 35 sold by the wholesaler which shall be open to inspection by
  6  1 the administrator at all times.  Liquor control licensees
  6  2 purchasing alcoholic liquor from licensed wholesalers shall
  6  3 keep proper books of account and records showing each purchase
  6  4 of alcoholic liquor made by the licensee, and the date and the
  6  5 amount of each purchase and the name of the person from whom
  6  6 each purchase was made.  The books of account and records
  6  7 shall be open to inspection by the administrator and agents of
  6  8 the division of beer, wine, and liquor law enforcement of the
  6  9 department of public safety during the normal business hours
  6 10 of the licensee.
  6 11    4.  A licensed wholesaler who has more than one place of
  6 12 business shall have a separate license for each separate place
  6 13 of business maintained by the licensee where liquor is stored,
  6 14 warehoused, or sold.  A licensed wholesaler shall not store
  6 15 alcoholic liquor overnight in premises which are not licensed
  6 16 by the division.  A licensed wholesaler shall deliver liquor
  6 17 to all classes of retail liquor licensees licensed for both
  6 18 on=premises and off=premises consumption as provided in this
  6 19 chapter.  Retail liquor licensees shall accept delivery of
  6 20 liquor at their licensed premises only from licensed
  6 21 wholesalers.  Delivery of alcoholic liquor from an unlicensed
  6 22 premise to a licensed premise at retail or from one retail
  6 23 licensed premise to another is prohibited, except that a class
  6 24 "E" liquor control licensee may sell and deliver liquor to a
  6 25 liquor control licensee licensed to sell alcoholic liquor for
  6 26 consumption on the premises where licensed only.  A class "E"
  6 27 liquor licensee shall not sell or deliver alcoholic liquor to
  6 28 another class "E" liquor control licensee even when there is a
  6 29 common ownership of all the premises by one class of retail
  6 30 liquor licensee.  A retail liquor control licensee shall not
  6 31 hold an interest in a licensed wholesaler's business either
  6 32 directly or indirectly.  Except as otherwise provided in this
  6 33 chapter, a wholesale liquor license shall be issued to a
  6 34 person who complies with the following:
  6 35    a.  Submits a written application for the license and
  7  1 states on the application under oath all of the following:
  7  2    (1)  The name and place of residence of the applicant and
  7  3 the length of time the applicant has lived at the place of
  7  4 residence.
  7  5    (2)  That the applicant is a citizen of the state of Iowa,
  7  6 or if a corporation, that the applicant is authorized to do
  7  7 business in Iowa.
  7  8    (3)  The place of birth of the applicant, and if the
  7  9 applicant is a naturalized citizen, the time and place of
  7 10 naturalization, or if a corporation, the state of
  7 11 incorporation.
  7 12    (4)  The location of the premises in Iowa where the
  7 13 applicant intends to use the license.
  7 14    (5)  The name of the owner of the premises, and if that
  7 15 owner is not the applicant, that the applicant is the actual
  7 16 lessee of the premises.
  7 17    b.  Establishes all of the following:
  7 18    (1)  That the applicant meets the test of good moral
  7 19 character.
  7 20    (2)  That the premises where the applicant intends to use
  7 21 the license conform to all applicable laws, health
  7 22 regulations, and fire regulations, and constitute a safe and
  7 23 proper place or building.
  7 24    Sec. 6.  NEW SECTION.  123.42B  LIQUOR MARKUP TAX.
  7 25    In addition to the annual license fee to be paid by all
  7 26 wholesale liquor licensees under this chapter, there shall be
  7 27 levied and collected from the licensees on all liquor
  7 28 manufactured for sale or sold in this state to wholesalers and
  7 29 all liquor imported into this state for sale at wholesale, to
  7 30 the division and sold in this state at wholesale, a markup as
  7 31 established by the alcoholic beverages division as provided
  7 32 for in this chapter.  However, no markup shall be levied or
  7 33 collected on liquor shipped outside this state by a liquor
  7 34 wholesaler or sold by one liquor wholesaler to another liquor
  7 35 wholesaler.  The markup shall not exceed the markup policy as
  8  1 established by the division on sales by the division to
  8  2 wholesalers.  Licensed wholesalers shall pick up from the
  8  3 division warehouse or other licensed warehouse as designated
  8  4 by the division, alcoholic liquor for resale to licensed
  8  5 retailers during hours as established by the division and all
  8  6 liquor purchased for resale by wholesalers or retailers shall
  8  7 be paid by certified check prior to or at the time of
  8  8 delivery.
  8  9    Sec. 7.  TRANSITION.  On and after January 1, 2006, the
  8 10 alcoholic beverages division of the department of commerce
  8 11 shall no longer warehouse, sell, or deliver alcoholic liquor.
  8 12 The division shall continue to establish and collect the
  8 13 markup on alcoholic liquor as provided in section 123.42B.
  8 14                           EXPLANATION
  8 15    This bill provides for the sale of alcoholic liquor at the
  8 16 wholesale level by licensed wholesalers.  The annual license
  8 17 fee would be $2,000.  The bill allows liquor retailers
  8 18 licensed for on=premises consumption to purchase alcoholic
  8 19 liquor directly from wholesalers or from class "E" licensed
  8 20 retailers as at present.  The retailers are not now allowed to
  8 21 purchase or receive delivery from the state.
  8 22    After January 1, 2006, the state of Iowa will no longer be
  8 23 permitted to warehouse or deliver alcoholic beverages.  The
  8 24 state will continue to establish the markup on alcoholic
  8 25 liquor and collect the markup as a tax on the sales when sold
  8 26 by the wholesaler to retailers on a monthly basis similar to
  8 27 the way in which beer and wine excise taxes are collected.
  8 28    Class "E" liquor licensees will be able to purchase liquor
  8 29 from licensed wholesalers or the state as they presently do
  8 30 until January 1, 2006, when all liquor sales will revert to
  8 31 private wholesalers.
  8 32    A violator of the provisions of Code chapter 123, if
  8 33 another penalty is not provided, is guilty of a serious
  8 34 misdemeanor under Code section 123.90.
  8 35 LSB 1384YC 81
  9  1 ec:nh/gg/14