Bill Text: CA AB445 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 445

Bill Title: Alcoholic beverages.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Passed) 2025-10-01 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 153, Statutes of 2025. [AB445 Detail]

Download: California-2025-AB445-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 445

CHAPTER 153

An act to amend Section 25600.05 of, and to add Section 23826.21 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to alcoholic beverages.

[ Approved by Governor October 01, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 01, 2025. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 445, Aguiar-Curry. Alcoholic beverages.

Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages and the granting of licenses for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state. Existing law limits the amount of on-sale general licenses that may be issued by the department based on the population of the county in which the licensed premises are located.

This bill would provide an exception to the limitation of on-sale general licenses described above by authorizing the issuance of up to 10 additional new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places in the County of Colusa. The bill would specify that a person holding a valid on-sale general license for seasonal business is not prohibited from applying for licenses to be issued pursuant to this authorization. The bill would prohibit transferring the new licenses out of the county or to a premises that does not qualify under these provisions. The bill would also prohibit selling or transferring the new licenses for a price greater than the original fee paid by the seller or transferor.

Existing law, until January 1, 2026, additionally authorizes a beer manufacturer to give, free of charge, up to 5 cases of retail advertising glassware to an on-sale retail licensee, per licensed location, each calendar year, and authorizes an on-sale retail licensee to accept, free of charge, up to 10 cases of retail advertising glassware, per licensed location, from licensed beer manufacturers each calendar year, subject to specified conditions.

This bill would extend operation of the authorization described above until January 1, 2029.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Colusa.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 23826.21 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

23826.21.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in the County of Colusa, the department may issue no more than a total of 10 additional new original on-sale general licenses for bona fide public eating places.

(b) In issuing the licenses provided for in this section, the department shall follow the procedure set forth in Section 23961.

(c) This chapter does not prohibit a person that currently holds a valid on-sale general license for seasonal business from applying for an original on-sale general license pursuant to this section.

(d) (1) A license issued under this section shall not be transferred from one county to another, nor shall it be transferred to any premises not qualifying under this section.

(2) A license issued under this section shall not be sold or transferred for a price greater than the original fee paid by the seller or transferor.

(e) The department may designate licenses issued pursuant to this section as on-sale general for special use. This designation does not alter any license privileges or restrictions established by this section.

SEC. 2.

Section 25600.05 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

25600.05.

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Beer manufacturer” has the same meaning as that term is defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 25600.

(2) “Case” means a box containing up to 24 pieces of glassware.

(3) “Glassware” means a single-service glass container or nonglass container capable of holding no more than 23 ounces of liquid volume and which is intended for the service of beer.

(4) “Retail advertising glassware” means glassware that bears conspicuous advertising of beer required of a sign.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 25500, Section 25600, or any other law to the contrary:

(1) A beer manufacturer, without direct or indirect charge, may give up to five cases of retail advertising glassware to an on-sale retail licensee, per licensed location, each calendar year for use at the licensed location. The giving of retail advertising glassware shall not be conditioned, directly or indirectly, upon the purchase or sale of any product, including, without limitation, any beer manufactured, produced, imported, sold, marketed, or in any other way promoted or represented by the beer manufacturer giving the retail advertising glassware. Retail advertising glassware provided pursuant to this section shall only be delivered by the beer manufacturer providing it to the licensed premises of the retailer receiving the retail advertising glassware. No more than five cases of retail advertising glassware shall be delivered by the beer manufacturer to any single on-sale retail licensed premises.

(2) An on-sale retail licensee may accept, without direct or indirect charge, up to 10 cases of retail advertising glassware, per licensed location, from licensed beer manufacturers each calendar year for use at the licensed location. The on-sale retail licensee shall not sell the retail advertising glassware, give it away, or return it to a manufacturer for cash, credit, or replacement. The on-sale retail licensee shall not condition the purchase of a beer manufacturer’s product or products on the giving of retail advertising glassware by that beer manufacturer.

(c) A beer wholesaler shall not directly or indirectly underwrite, share in, or contribute to the costs of glassware or any costs of transportation or shipping or serve as the agent of the beer manufacturer to deliver, stock, or store glassware for an on-sale retailer.

(d) A licensee authorized to give retail advertising glassware pursuant to this section shall not be precluded from doing so on the basis of having an interest in any other type of alcoholic beverage license within or outside of the state.

(e) A beer manufacturer shall file with the department, in a manner prescribed by the department, records related to glassware provided to an on-sale retail licensee pursuant to this section within 30 days of the delivery of the glassware. In addition, a beer manufacturer shall keep and maintain records for a three-year period of all glassware given pursuant to this section.

(f) An on-sale retail licensee shall keep and maintain records for a three-year period of all glassware received pursuant to this section and of all other retail advertising glassware purchased or otherwise received. Such records shall be maintained by the on-sale retail licensee at the licensed premises to which the beer manufacturer delivers the glassware authorized by this section. The on-sale retail licensee shall produce records to the department promptly upon request.

(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 3.

The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances of the economy of the County of Colusa that apply only to that county.