BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1860
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 21, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

             AB 1860 (Tom Berryhill) - As Introduced:  February 12, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                              Governmental  
          Organization Vote:                            20 - 0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill authorizes the possession, consumption, or sale of  
          alcoholic beverages for an event during the weekend or at other  
          times when pupils are not on the grounds of any overnight  
          retreat facility owned and operated by any county office of  
          education or school district. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Any costs associated with this legislation would be minor and  
          absorbable within the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's  
          existing resources.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . Existing law provides for many exceptions to the  
            general prohibition, including those for college stadiums,  
            culinary arts programs, and housing and performing arts  
            facilities.  Other existing exceptions allow alcoholic  
            beverages to be possessed, consumed, and sold at organized,  
            licensed events held on the grounds of overnight retreat  
            facilities owned and operated by the Marin and Stanislaus  
            County Offices of Education, provided the events occur on  
            weekends or at other times when pupils are not on the grounds.  


            This bill extends the current exceptions for Marin and  
            Stanislaus County Offices of Education to all county offices  
            of education and school districts with overnight retreat  
            facilities when pupils are not on the grounds.  









                                                                  AB 1860
                                                                  Page  2

            The Clovis Unified School District and the Sutter County  
            Superintendent of Schools state, "during these difficult  
            budget times, when we are making significant cuts to our  
            educational programs and services, having some ability to  
            increase revenues will be very helpful in our effort to  
            sustain very important outdoor educational programs."  During  
            days and weekends when outdoor education facilities are not in  
            use and not hosting students, the public would have access to  
            a unique center for weddings, family reunions, and other  
            organizational events.  

            The Santa Clara County Office of Education writes, this  
            measure "will be beneficial because not only will it keep  
            costs down for students but will provide a usable venue for  
            the public, without jeopardizing the safety of students."

           2)Related Legislation  . AB 1643 (Smyth) of 2010, would allow  
            alcoholic beverages to be possessed and used at fundraising  
            events held at community college-owned facilities where K-12  
            students are taught, provided that the events take place when  
            K-12 students are not present.  This bill is identical to AB  
            172 (Smyth; Chapter 398, Statutes of 2009) which was  
            inadvertently chaptered out by AB 1448 (Tom Berryhill; Chapter  
            399, Statutes of 2009).  

            AB 1448 (Tom Berryhill; Chapter 399, Statutes of 2009)  
            authorized the possession, consumption, or sale of alcoholic  
            beverages for an event during the weekend or at other times  
            when pupils are not on the grounds of an overnight retreat  
            facility owned and operated by the county office of education  
            in Stanislaus County.

           3)Chaptering Problem  . Similar to last year's situation, where  
            Assemblymember Berryhill introduced legislation that  
            inadvertently chaptered out Assemblymember Smyth's AB 172,  
            both authors have introduced bills amending the same code  
            section again.  Chaptering amendments may eventually be  
            necessary.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081