AB 813

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may sell alcohol

beverages to a consumer unless the seller possesses a license or permit authorizing

the sale. Current law allows a winery to hold one retail license, which may be either

a "Class A" license or a "Class B" license. A "Class B" license issued to a winery

authorizes the retail sale of wine to be consumed by the glass or in opened containers

on the licensed premises and authorizes the retail sale of wine in the original package

or container to be consumed off the licensed premises. A winery operating under a

retail "Class B" license may not remain open for retail sales of wine between the

hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

This bill changes the closing hour for wineries operating under a retail "Class

B" license from 9 p.m. to midnight, but allows municipalities to establish, by

ordinance, more restrictive closing hours for these wineries.