Temporary Permit, Licensing Transparency & Alternative Penalties Bills Signed

The Governor signed three bills into law this month designed to help applicants through the licensing process and provide a reduced penalty for certain administrative SLA violations:

Temporary permit – With license applications taking six months or longer to be processed, the ability to seek a temporary permit is essential to starting a new business, especially during these challenging times. This bill authorizes the SLA to issue temporary liquor licenses to prospective licensees in New York City, giving these applicants the same option as applicants in the rest of the State.

Licensing Transparency – The extended delays in licensing make it hard to plan opening a new business. Not being able to monitor your license application in process make it impossible to build an appropriate plan to open, impacting the premises’ construction, ordering of supplies, hiring of staff, and arranging the numerous details that go along with launching a new business venture. Under this new law, the Liquor Authority will make more information available to applicants, enhancing their ability to plan for their opening.

Alternative Penalties – Some SLA violations received by licensees are simple administrative errors, but they can be costly. This new law provides the State Liquor Authority with the ability to provide a cure period or other ameliorative action for a first-time violation. It is similar to a change made in 2019 that allowed for cure periods for first-time violations by businesses of regulations of other state agencies.