Liquor Licenses (audio)

Air Date:01/25/2010

By Jackelyn Severin

A bill aiming to consolidate and streamline special event liquor license laws was approved by the House Commerce Committee. Currently South Dakota has eleven different statutes dealing with temporary and special event alcoholic beverage licenses. Representative Chuck Turbiville of Deadwood says current law is confusing for municipalities and counties. He says House Bill 1001 would consolidate all eleven liquor laws into two sections.

Turbiville says, "The bill slightly broadens the special event licenses that are available under the current system but it makes them much simpler to understand and administer. It would allow cities and counties to issue special event licenses to non-profit organizations or certain current alcoholic beverage license holders."

Turbiville says House Bill 1001 mandates that all temporary and special event liquor licenses would not exceed 15 consecutive days. The committee passed the bill 13 to 0. It now moves to the House floor.

Member stations can download audio file here.

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