Signed by Governor Mike Rounds

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that removes the restriction on the number of on-sale liquor licenses that municipalities and counties may issue to full-service nonsmoking restaurants.

Highlights:

- Require counties and municipalities that adopt the statute to charge one dollar per person residing in the county or municipality (Sec. 7). - Requires counties and municipalities that adopt the statute to set the price of the license at or above the current fair market value (Sec. 10). - Requires those who purchased a liquor license at any time between January 1, 2003 and January 1, 2008 to report how much they originally paid for the license to the issuing county or municipality (Sec. 8). - Applies only to full service restaurants in which the waiter or waitress physically delivers the food and drink to the patrons, and less than forty percent of the gross revenue of the restaurant is derived from alcohol sales (Sec. 2). - Amendment 126fh was sponsored by the House Committee on Commerce, establishing the guidelines for issuing liquor licenses to full-service restaurants.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that removes the restriction on the number of liquor licenses municipalities and counties may issue.

Highlights:

- Requires counties and municipalities to set the new liquor license price at or above the current fair market value, meaning the cost of the license most recently sold prior to January 1, 2008, minus any real or personal property included in the transaction (Sec. 4). - Requires counties and municipalities to set the minimum liquor license fee by charging one dollar per person residing in the county or municipality (Sec. 2). - Requires those who purchased a license prior to January 1, 2008 to report how much they originally paid for their license to the issuing county or municipality (Sec. 3). - Amendment 126fd was sponsored by Senator Olson, establishing the new guidelines for pricing liquor licenses.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that removes the restriction on the number of liquor licenses municipalities and counties may issue.

Highlights:

- Requires counties and municipalities to set the liquor license fee by charging one dollar per person residing in each municipality or county (Sec. 2). - Requires counties and municipalities to compensate license holders who purchased their licenses prior to January 1, 2008 the difference between their purchasing price and the new cost [sec. 3 (1)]. - Requires license holders to apply for compensation by January 31, 2008 [sec. 3 (2)]. - Requires counties and municipalities to compensate license holders within five years [sec. 4 (2)].

Full Bill Text