Municipalities are hereby authorized to levy an annual occupational tax for the privilege of operating as a retailer, mixed beverage, beer and wine, caterer, public event or special event licensee, bottle club, manufacturer, brewer, wine and spirits wholesaler or beer distributor, within their respective jurisdictions, not to exceed the state license fee for such licensees; provided, the tax shall be levied only by the municipality in which such licensee has its principal place of business. This section shall not give any municipality any right to determine or regulate the issuance of any license, except as specifically provided for in this section, as the ABLE Commission shall have exclusive authority as to issuance and regulations of licenses. No municipality may prescribe rules or regulations in conflict with or in addition to the statutes of this state or the rules of the ABLE Commission. No licensee shall be held liable for engaging in business otherwise authorized under this title with any other retailer, mixed beverage, beer and wine, caterer, public event or special event licensee, bottle club, manufacturer, brewer, wine and spirits wholesaler or beer distributor solely because such other party has failed to pay any occupational tax due under this section.

Municipalities which levy an occupational tax under this section shall make an annual report to the ABLE Commission, covering the fiscal year, showing the number and class of licensees subject to the tax authorized by this section, and the amount of money received therefrom, which information is to be included in the annual report of the ABLE Commission submitted to the Governor, and transmitted to the Legislature.

Added by Laws 2016, c. 366, § 101, eff. Oct. 1, 2018. Amended by Laws 2017, c. 364, § 21, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Laws 2019, c. 322, § 26, emerg. eff. May 7, 2019.

NOTE: Laws 2016, c. 366, was conditionally effective upon passage of State Question No. 792, Legislative Referendum No. 370, which was adopted at election held on Nov. 8, 2016.