A. A local option district may approve the issuance of restaurant licenses for the sale of beer and wine by holding an election on that question pursuant to the procedures set out in Section 60-5A-1 NMSA 1978. The election also may be initiated by a resolution adopted by the governing body of the local option district without a petition from qualified electors having been submitted.

B. After the approval of restaurant licenses by the qualified electors of the local option district and upon completion of all requirements in the Liquor Control Act for the issuance of licenses, a restaurant located or to be located within the local option district may receive a restaurant license to sell, serve or allow the consumption of beer and wine subject to the following requirements and restrictions:

(1) the applicant shall submit evidence to the department that the applicant has a current valid food service establishment permit;

(2) the applicant shall satisfy the director that the primary source of revenue from the operation of the restaurant will be derived from meals and not from the sale of beer and wine;

(3) the director shall condition renewal upon a requirement that no less than sixty percent of gross receipts from the preceding twelve months' operation of the licensed restaurant was derived from the sale of meals;

(4) upon application for renewal, the licensee shall submit an annual report to the director indicating the annual gross receipts from the sale of meals and from beer and wine sales;

(5) restaurant licensees shall not sell beer and wine for consumption off the licensed premises;

(6) all sales, services and consumption of beer and wine authorized by a restaurant license shall cease at the time meal sales and services cease or at 11:00 p.m., whichever time is earlier;

(7) if Sunday sales have been approved in the local option district, a restaurant licensee may serve beer and wine on Sundays until the time meal sales and services cease or 11:00 p.m., whichever time is earlier; and

(8) a restaurant license shall not be transferable from person to person or from one location to another.

C. The provisions of Section 60-6A-18 NMSA 1978 shall not apply to restaurant licenses.

D. Nothing in this section shall prevent a restaurant licensee from receiving other licenses pursuant to the Liquor Control Act.

History: Laws 1981, ch. 39, § 21; 2003, ch. 103, § 1; 2019, ch. 212, § 236.

The 2019 amendment, effective April 3, 2019, in Subsection A, deleted "At any time after the effective date of the Liquor Control Act", and deleted "registered" preceding "qualified electors"; and in Subsection B, in the introductory clause, deleted "registered" preceding "qualified electors".

The 2003 amendment, effective July 1, 2003, in Subsection A, substituted "60-5A-1 NMSA 1978" for "15 of that Act" following "out in Section", added the last sentence; substituted "60-6A-18 NMSA 1978" for "35 of the Liquor Control Act" in Subsection C.