BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2694
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 18, 2012

                   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
                                 Isadore Hall, Chair
           AB 2694 (Committee on Governmental Organization) - As Amended:  
                                   April 12, 2012
           
          SUBJECT  :   Alcoholic beverages.

           SUMMARY  :    Makes various changes to the Alcoholic Beverage 
          Control Act (Act). Specifically,  this bill  :  

          1)  Provides that a Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control 
          (ABC) license, as defined in statute, authorizes the license 
          holder to exercise the rights and privileges as specified in the 
          Act.

          2)  Makes technical and conforming changes within the Act.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)  Establishes ABC and grants it the exclusive authority to 
          administer the provisions of the Act in accordance with laws 
          enacted by the Legislature.

          2)  Provides that ABC is responsible for licensing individuals 
          and businesses associated with the manufacture, importation sale 
          of alcoholic beverages in this state and the collection of 
          license fees or occupation taxes for this purpose.

          3)  Provides that licenses provided for in a specified article 
          within the Act authorize the license holder to exercise the 
          rights and privileges specified in that article.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   Unknown.

           COMMENTS  :   

          This bill represents the annual Assembly Governmental 
          Organization Committee bill which makes technical, clarifying, 
          conforming, and non-controversial changes to the Alcoholic 
          Beverage Control Act.  

          The language contained in this proposal was put forth by the 
          California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).  AB 








                                                                  AB 2694
                                                                  Page  2

          2694 amends Business and Professions Code Section 23355 to 
          specify that an ABC license authorizes the person to whom it is 
          issued the rights and privileges specified in the ABC Act as not 
          all ABC licenses are listed in Article 2 of Chapter 3.  
          Replacing "article" with "division" will appropriately capture 
          all licenses.  For example, the instructional tasting license is 
          not listed in Article 2 of Chapter 3 of the ABC Act.

          Additionally, the bill deletes reference to ABC's "Procedure 
          Manual" from current law.  ABC maintains that the Procedure 
          Manual should not be specified in statute as it is an internal 
          management document. 

          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :   

           Support 
           
          None on file

           Opposition 
           
          None on file
           

          Analysis Prepared by  :    Eric Johnson / G. O. / (916) 319-2531