SB 87-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
03/06/2025 0562s
03/27/2025 1100s
5Jun2025... 2293h
2025 SESSION
25-1032
08/09
SENATE BILL 87-FN
SPONSORS: Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Murphy, Dist 16; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Rep. C. McGuire, Merr. 27
COMMITTEE: Commerce
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ANALYSIS
This bill allows for-profit organizations to receive a one day liquor license and makes barber shops, salons, and spas eligible for on-premises licenses.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/06/2025 0562s
03/27/2025 1100s
5Jun2025... 2293h 25-1032
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Subparagraph; On-Premises Licenses; For-Profit Organizations. Amend RSA 178:22, V by inserting after subparagraph (l) the following new subparagraph:
(l-a) One Day Licenses for For-Profit Organizations.
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 178:2, I, the commission may issue a limited license to any responsible individual representing a for-profit group or organization approved by the commission.
(2) Events held under this license shall be limited to 500 or less patrons. No more than 6 licenses shall be issued to any one entity in a calendar year.
(3) Such license shall authorize the licensee to sell, on premises approved by the commission, beverages, specialty beverages, and liquor on the approved premises.
(4) No license shall be issued under subparagraph (l-a)(1) unless the organization's representative obtains:
(A) Official approval of the chief of the local fire department as to the safety of the premises.
(B) Official approval of the local health department concerning sanitary accommodations.
(C) Official approval of the chief of police as to accessibility of the premises. Written statements from such officials shall accompany the application for the license. Such application shall be filed with the commission 15 days before the date on which the license is needed.
(5) No person under the age of 18 shall be allowed in those areas where beverages, specialty beverages, and liquor are served, unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult spouse. The selectmen of the town in which such licenses are held may, at their discretion, assign police officers to the premises where liquor, beverages, or specialty beverages are being served.
(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission or its investigators may suspend without warning any license issued under subparagraph (l-a)(1) if, in their opinion, such sale of liquor, beverages, specialty beverages is contrary to the public interest.
2 Free Tastings. Amend RSA 179:44, II to read as follows:
II. Notwithstanding paragraph I, beverage manufacturers, liquor manufacturers, rectifiers, beverage vendors, brew pubs, wholesale distributors and their liquor or wine vendors, their liquor and wine representatives, domestic wine manufacturers, and on-premises and off-premises licensees may conduct beverage, liquor, or wine tasting, as applicable, on [licensed] premises approved by the commission. Liquor, beverage, or wine tasting shall be conducted only during such hours as are authorized by the commission for the sale of the product on the premises.
3 On-Premises Licenses. Amend RSA 178:21, I(a) to read as follows:
I.(a) The commission may issue a license to any of the types of businesses specified in [paragraph II] paragraphs II through IV of this section in any town which has voted to accept the provisions of RSA 663:5, I(b), (c), and (d). The license shall entitle the licensee to serve beverages or specialty beverages containing at least 1/2 percent and not more than 8 percent alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit by the glass or other suitable container and by the bottle with the cork or cap removed; liquor containing more than 6 percent alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit, by the glass or other suitable container; and wines, by the glass, by the bottle with the cork or cap removed; or other suitable container, under rules adopted by the commission.
4 New Paragraphs; On-Premises Licenses. Amend RSA 178:21 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraphs:
III. The commission may issue a license to a business currently licensed through the office of professional licensure and certification, pursuant to RSA 313-A:19 as a salon or barbershop, as defined under RSA 313-A:1, to serve one alcoholic beverage to customers who are receiving services from said establishment.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 179:44, a licensee under this paragraph may serve alcoholic beverages and liquor for free which shall be limited to one drink per customer in the amount, not to exceed one 16 ounce glass of beverage, 6 ounce glass of wine, or 1 ½ ounce of liquor per person. The licensee shall keep records of the patron served. Such records shall be retained by the licensed facility and shall be made available to the commission upon request.
(b) The fee for the license under this paragraph shall be $100.
(c) Nothing in this section shall allow the commission to issue a license to a salon or barbershop located within a private residence.
IV. The commission may issue a limited special license to any business registered with the secretary of state as approved by the commission. Commission approval shall be subject to a specific location and business plan and shall not be broadly applied.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 179:44, a licensee under this paragraph may serve alcoholic beverages and liquor for free which shall be limited to one drink per customer in the amount, not to exceed one 16 ounce glass of beverage, 6 ounce glass of wine, or 1 ½ ounce of liquor per person. The licensee shall keep records of the patron served. Such records shall be retained by the licensed facility and shall be made available to the commission upon request.
(b) The fee for the special license under this paragraph shall be $100.
I. RSA 178:21, IV as inserted by section 4 of this act shall take effect 365 days after its passage.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
25-1032
4/1/25
SB 87-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2025-1100s)
FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | ||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | Liquor Fund | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill allows for-profit organizations to receive a one-day liquor license and makes barber shops, salons, and spas eligible for on-premises licenses. The Liquor Commission indicates the bill would increase revenue to the Liquor Fund by an indeterminable amount in FY 2026 and in each year thereafter.
Sections 1 and 2 of the bill would allow a for-profit or organization to obtain up to 6 one-day licenses in a calendar year. The Commission indicates the fee for a one-day license is $100 per day. The Commission does not have information on how many organization may apply or information on how many for-profit organizations have been denied a license in the past. The Commission expects an increase in the number of new licenses issued and believes that, as this change becomes more widely known, more licenses will be issued.
Section 3 of the bill would allow licensed barbers, hair salons and spas to apply for a cocktail lounge license for a $480 fee. The Commission provided the following information and assumptions concerning this provision of the bill:
- Based on information from the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), there are 2,267 active shops. The Commission notes this data does not distinguish between barbers and salons and suggests the language may need to be amended to match the types of licenses issued by the OPLC.
- If all 2,267 active shops applied for an annual fee of $480, the maximum possible increase in license revenue would be $1,088,160.
- While it is not possible to predict the actual increase in revenue, the Commission suggests the annual increase in revenue would fall between $100,000 and $500,000.
It is assumed that any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2025.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Liquor Commission