On June 10, 2016, Gov. Hickenlooper signed Senate Bill 16-197 into law, concerning the retail sale of alcohol beverages, and, in connection therewith, restricting the issuance of new liquor-licensed drugstore and retail liquor store licenses except under specified circumstances, allowing liquor-licensed drugstore and retail liquor store licensees to obtain additional licenses under limited circumstances, repealing the limit on the alcohol content of fermented malt beverages on January 1, 2019.
SB16-197 Power Point Presentation
- Liquor License Tracker
The Liquor Enforcement Division created an interactive mapping tool to track pending retail liquor store and liquor-licensed drugstore applications, enabling local licensing authorities to see pending applications across jurisdictions.
Clerks should complete the form below when they receive and approve these types of licenses. Approved retail liquor stores are marked in blue. Approved liquor-licensed drugstores are marked in yellow. Pending retail liquor stores will be marked in red. Pending liquor-licensed drugstores will be marked in orange.
- SB16-197 Bulletins
- SB16-197 Statutory Working Group
One section of SB16-197 creates a new Liquor Industry Working Group (referred to as "SB16-197 Statutory Working Group") to develop an implementation process for grocery and convenience stores to apply for a license to sell malt liquor and fermented malt beverages containing at least one-half percent alcohol by volume starting January 1, 2019.
The SB16-197 Statutory Working Group is also tasked with analyzing the impact that removing the alcohol content limit on fermented malt beverages will have on the alcohol beverage industry as a whole, as well as on current retail licensees, and shall consider other legislative, regulatory, or administrative changes necessary to promote the three-tiered distribution system in Colorado.
Additionally, the SB16-197 Statutory Working Group will examine and make recommendations regarding laws governing tastings conducted on licensed retail premises and the ability of retail liquor stores to sell growlers containing malt liquors.
SB16-197 defines the members of the SB16- 197 Working Group as the following:
Brewery (Large - 2), Liquor Attorney (2), Brewery (Small - 2), Liquor Enforcement, Colorado Attorney General's Office, Member at Large (2),Community Prevention, Member of MADD, County Government, Municipal Government, Convenience Stores (2), Off-Premises Retailer (Statewide), Department of Revenue, Retail Liquor Stores (Large - 2), Distillery (National), Retail Liquor Stores (Small - 1),Distillery (Colorado), Taverns, Grocery Stores (2), Wholesaler (2), Hotel/Restaurants (2), Winery (National), Law Enforcement Representative and Winery (Colorado).Go To: