§ 107. Duties of Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery

(a) The Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery shall direct and supervise the Department of Liquor and Lottery and, subject to the direction of the Board, shall see that the laws relating to alcohol and tobacco under this title and to the State Lottery under 31 V.S.A. chapter 14 are carried out. The Commissioner shall annually prepare a budget for the Department and submit it to the Board for review pursuant to subdivision 104(12) of this chapter.

(b) With respect to the laws relating to alcohol, the Commissioner shall:

(1) In towns that vote to permit the sale of spirits and fortified wines, establish local agencies as the Board of Liquor and Lottery shall determine. However, the Board shall not be obligated to establish an agency in every town that votes to permit the sale of spirits and fortified wines.

(2) Recommend rules subject to approval and adoption by the Board governing the hours during which local agencies shall be open for the sale of spirits and fortified wines, the qualifications of the agencies' employees, and the business, operational, financial, and revenue standards that must be met for the establishment of an agency and its continued operation.

(3) Recommend rules subject to approval and adoption by the Board governing:

(A) the prices at which spirits shall be sold by local agencies, the method for their delivery, and the quantities of spirits that may be sold to any one person at any one time; and

(B) the minimum prices at which fortified wines shall be sold by local agencies and second-class licensees that hold fortified wine permits, the method for their delivery, and the quantities of fortified wines that may be sold to any one person at any one time.

(4) Supervise the quantities and qualities of spirits and fortified wines to be kept as stock in local agencies and recommend rules subject to approval and adoption by the Board regarding the filling of requisitions for spirits and fortified wines on the Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery.

(5) Purchase spirits and fortified wines for and in behalf of the Board of Liquor and Lottery; supervise their storage and distribution to local agencies, third-class licensees, and holders of fortified wine permits; and recommend rules subject to approval and adoption by the Board regarding the sale and delivery from the central liquor warehouse.

(6) Check and audit the income and disbursements of all local agencies and the central storage plant.

(7) Report to the Board regarding the State's liquor control system and make recommendations for the promotion of the general good of the State.

(8) Devise methods and plans for eradicating intemperance and promoting the general good of the State and make effective such methods and plans as part of the administration of this title. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 33, eff. March 1, 1961; 1961, No. 30, eff. March 17, 1961; 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(c)(2), eff. May 6, 1996; 2001, No. 143 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. June 21, 2002; 2015, No. 51, §§ A.6, eff. Jan. 1, 2016; 2015, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 17; 2017, No. 83, § 13; 2018, No. 1 (Sp. Sess.), § 14.)