Committee forwards local-bill advertising and reviews draft bill to redefine 'restaurant' liquor licenses
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Summary
The committee approved resolution language to begin the legal-notice process for two local bills and discussed a newly drafted state bill that would set a sales-based test for qualifying as a restaurant for liquor-license purposes.
The committee approved a resolution to begin the publication process required for local bills and discussed a draft bill intended to limit which businesses may qualify for a restaurant liquor license.
Speaker 3 explained that local bills must be advertised four times on consecutive weeks before the legislature can consider them, and that the speaker of the state House intends to take up local bills early in the session. The committee identified two local items it wants advertised: removing the executive director of public safety from the firefighter/police overtime provisions, and allowing full-time mayors in Tuscaloosa County to participate in the RSA. The committee voted by voice to begin legal-notice requirements for those local bills.
Speaker 3 also presented a bill draft from LSA (Legislative Services) that would, as written, define a restaurant by limiting the share of sales from alcohol (the presentation cited a proposed cap at 50% alcohol sales) so businesses that principally operate as bars could not qualify for a restaurant liquor license. Speaker 3 said a similar ABC internal regulation was proposed in 2020–21 but stalled amid opposition; staff said they ran the draft publicly at the meeting because they had just received it.
Councilors acknowledged the complexity of defining a restaurant by sales mix and noted potential edge cases (for example, higher-priced wine purchases in otherwise food-centric restaurants). Speaker 3 said staff will continue work on the draft and pursue the legislative pathway if council wants the item on the legislative agenda.