Senate Joint Resolution No. 20

Introduced By _______________________________________________________________________________

By Request of the Senate Taxation Committee



A Joint Resolution of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the state of Montana requesting that the Revenue Oversight Committee monitor the effects of the new restaurant beer and wine license system and study the existing alcoholic beverage quota systems; and providing for a report of findings to the Governor and the 56th Legislature.



WHEREAS, the State of Montana has regulated the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption by a quota system through the issuance of alcoholic beverage licenses; and

WHEREAS, the quota system is a creation of the state, and the quota system has resulted in the vesting of a property right for owners of alcoholic beverage licenses; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill No. 354, if passed and approved, would establish a new category of beer and wine license to allow restaurants to serve beer and wine to patrons and would represent a significant modification to the quota system; and

WHEREAS, the effects of Senate Bill No. 354, if enacted, on the existing quota system are unknown; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature has not undertaken a systematic evaluation of the alcoholic beverage quota system.



NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

That the Revenue Oversight Committee be requested to:

(1) monitor the issuance and administration of the new beer and wine licenses;

(2) review the existing quota system related to the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption;

(3) monitor the changes in the value of existing licenses to determine whether the issuance of the new beer and wine licenses has an effect on the value of existing licenses;

(4) examine other effects of the new beer and wine license system; and

(5) determine whether modifications to the existing quota system would be appropriate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Revenue Oversight Committee report its findings to the Governor and the 56th Legislature and present options for legislative consideration if the Committee determines that options are necessary.



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