ASSEMBLY, No. 4176

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2015

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  BENJIE E. WIMBERLY

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman  SHAVONDA E. SUMTER

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Assemblywoman  ANGELICA M. JIMENEZ

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Imposes $0.25 surcharge on alcoholic beverages to be dedicated to Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  

An Act concerning alcoholic beverages and supplementing Title 33 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  A person who holds a plenary retail consumption license or seasonal retail consumption license in a municipality in this State where 200 or more of these licenses currently are active or inactive shall include in the price charged for each alcoholic beverage sold on the licensed premises a fee of $0.25.  These fees shall be payable to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in the Department of Law and Public Safety.

     b.    The fees paid to the director under subsection a. of this section shall be deposited in the Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1983, c.531 (C.26:2B-32).

     c.    The director shall promulgate guidelines or directives necessary to implement this act.

 

      2.   This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment, except the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill provides for a $0.25 fee to be included in the price of each alcoholic beverage sold in certain municipalities for the purpose of funding alcohol education, rehabilitation and enforcement.

     Under the bill, the holder of a retail liquor license authorizing the sale of alcoholic beverages in a restaurant or bar which is located in a municipality with 200 or more of these licenses currently active or inactive is required to charge a fee of $0.25 to be included in the price of each alcoholic beverage sold on the licensed premises.  These fees are to be collected by the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and deposited in the Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Fund (AEREF).

     The AEREF supports programs aimed at alcohol and drug abusers.  It is funded by an excise tax on licensed manufacturers, wholesalers, and State distributors of alcoholic beverages.  The AEREF also receives moneys from a $100 fee paid by convicted drunk drivers.  Proceeds from the AEREF are dedicated as follows: 75 percent to rehabilitation, 15 percent to enforcement, and 10 percent to education.  The proceeds are distributed to the State's 21 counties according to a statutory formula based on population, income, and need.

     Under this bill, the AEREF also would receive the proceeds from the $0.25 per drink fee imposed by the bill on alcoholic beverages sold in restaurants and bars in municipalities with a large number of retail liquor licenses.