HB 1583-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

15Mar2022... 0838h

2022 SESSION

22-2424

08/04

HOUSE BILL 1583-FN

AN ACT relative to days of operation of state liquor stores.

SPONSORS: Rep. Horrigan, Straf. 6

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill authorizes the liquor commission to open certain state liquor stores on Sundays or legal holidays.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

15Mar2022... 0838h 22-2424

08/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Two

AN ACT relative to days of operation of state liquor stores.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1  Sunday and Holiday Openings.  Amend RSA 177:5 to read as follows:

177:5 Sunday and Holiday Openings. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commission may, in its discretion, open for business on any Sunday or legal holiday any state liquor store located on a main route where traffic is heavy[; provided, however, that no state liquor store may be opened for business at any time on Easter or Thanksgiving day, whenever appointed, and Christmas day]. Although full-time employees shall be given the option of working, no such employee shall be required to work on such days. The commission may employ part-time employees, subject to the rules of the director of personnel, to staff stores open on Sundays or holidays. Any full-time employee who works on such days shall be paid 1-1/2 times the employee's regular rate of pay for the actual number of hours worked.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBA

22-2424

Amended 3/24/22

HB 1583-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT #2022-0838h)

AN ACT relative to days of operation of state liquor stores.

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

METHODOLOGY:

This bill authorizes the Liquor Commission to open certain state liquor stores on Easter, Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.  The bill does not require the Commission to open stores on these holidays and leaves the decision to open stores on these days to the Commission. Liquor stores are not currently open on these dates.

The Commission provided the following information concerning the fiscal impact of this bill:

• The total gross revenue generated on a Sunday in March or April is approximately $1 million.
• In March and April of 2021, the average personnel cost for stores open on Sunday was approximately $48,000.
• The Commission does not currently open stores on Thanksgiving or Christmas so there is no comparable sales data to provide estimates.
• Liquor sales on days leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas are robust. The Commission indicates it is unknown if opening store on these holidays would increase sales, or simply shift sales from the days leading up to Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.
• The Commission is unable to determine if additional sales revenue would offset the additional operating costs to open the stores.

Any balance remaining in the Liquor Fund after paying all expenses of the commission is deposited in the general fund.

It is assumed that any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2022.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Liquor Commission