Alcoholic beverage control; privatization of ABC stores. (SB1542)

Introduced By

Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Alcoholic beverage control (ABC); privatization of ABC stores. Provides for the auction of "package store" licenses to authorize the retail sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption. The bill also requires the ABC Board to sell or transfer all interest in real property utilized in the wholesale and retail sale of alcoholic beverages. The bill requires the ABC Board to set a fixed number of licenses for all localities, which shall be at a minimum one license for each locality of the Commonwealth and shall not exceed one license per 10,000 residents of the locality. The initial issuance of license by the Board would be through regional auctions beginning July 1, 2010, which may also be conducted through the Department's publicly accessible website. The annual state license tax on package store licenses would be the initial purchase price at auction plus an annual inflation adjustment based on the Consumer Price Index. The tax levied on spirits sold in package stores would be 25 percent of the price charged. This bill contains numerous technical amendments. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/23/2009Presented and ordered printed 091208288
01/23/2009Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
01/30/2009Passed by indefinitely in Rehabilitation and Social Services (13-Y 2-N) (see vote tally)

Comments

cindy writes:

Would love to own an ABC store in Virgina! When the state reported a profit of $103.4 MILLION in 2008, what will replace that revenue needed for an already ailing state budget? This is a money making program for the state. Not sure this is the time to privatize ABC stores. Where do you plan to make up the shortfall? State owned ABC stores showing profits of over 100 million dollars is the kind of state government that we want, isn't it?