(a) A holder of a winegrower’s license, a beer manufacturer as defined in subdivision (d), a distilled spirits rectifier, a distilled spirits manufacturer, or distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent may donate wine, beer, or spirits, and make monetary contributions to a complex dedicated to the presentation of live artistic, musical, sports, food, beverage, culinary, lifestyle, or other cultural entertainment events or performances, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) The permanent retail on-sale licensee in the complex is a nonprofit charitable corporation or association exempt from payment of income taxes under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 23701) of Part 11 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 25503.34

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
  • Licensee: means any person authorized by a license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.8
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Business and Professions Code 21
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs, unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Business and Professions Code 15

(2) The complex is of not more than 50 acres located on the campus of, and owned by, Sonoma State University dedicated to presenting live artistic, musical, sports, food, beverage, culinary, lifestyle, or other cultural and entertainment events and performances with venues that include a concert hall with a seating capacity of approximately 1,500 seats, a second concert hall with a seating capacity of up to 300 seats, an outdoor area with a seating capacity of up to 5,000 seats, and a further outdoor area with a seating capacity of up to 10,000 seats.

(3) The complex has a permanent retail on-sale license that is a long-term tenant of the complex.

(4) The donation or monetary contribution shall not be conditioned directly or indirectly, in any way, on the purchase, sale, or distribution of any alcoholic beverage manufactured or distributed by the holder of a winegrower’s license, the beer manufacturer, the distilled spirits rectifier, the distilled spirits manufacturer, or the distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent by the licensee of the complex.

(5) The permanent retail on-sale licensee in the complex shall:

(A) Serve other brands of beer distributed by a competing beer wholesaler in addition to the brand manufactured or marketed by a contributing beer manufacturer.

(B) Serve other brands of wine distributed by a competing wine wholesaler in addition to the brand produced or distributed by a contributing winegrower.

(C) Serve other brands of distilled spirits distributed by a competing distilled spirits wholesaler in addition to the brand manufactured or marketed by the contributing distilled spirits manufacturer or distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent.

(6) Except as provided in paragraph (7), donated wine, beer, or spirits shall not be used or sold by the permanent retail licensee and a monetary contribution shall not be used in, or for the benefit of, the permanent retail on-sale licensee.

(7) Donated wine, beer, or spirits may only be used or sold in connection with fundraising activities held on or off the permanent licensed premises. Fundraising activities held in any area included in the licensed premises during which donated wine, beer, or spirits is used or sold shall not take place at the complex while the permanent retail licensee is exercising its license privileges and shall only be conducted pursuant to a temporary license issued by the department, provided however, that the permanent licensee shall surrender its license during the fundraising only for those areas of the complex where the fundraising activities are being presented and may continue to operate under its permanent license in other areas covered by the license where the fundraising is not taking place.

(b) The complex may acknowledge and thank a donating winegrower, beer manufacturer as defined in subdivision (d), distilled spirits rectifier, distilled spirits manufacturer, or distilled spirits manufacturer’s agent in the complex’s event programs, on the complex’s Internet Web site, and on stage at the permanent licensed premises during an event or performance.

(c) The Legislature finds that it is necessary and proper to require a separation among manufacturing interests, wholesale interests, and retail interests in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages in order to prevent suppliers from dominating local markets through vertical integration and to prevent excessive sales of alcoholic beverages produced by overly aggressive marketing techniques. The Legislature further finds that the exceptions established by this section to the general prohibition against tied interests shall be limited to their express terms so as not to undermine the general prohibition and intends that this section be construed accordingly.

(d) For the purposes of this section, “beer manufacturer” includes any holder of a beer manufacturer’s license, any holder of an out-of-state beer manufacturer’s certificate, or any holder of a beer and wine importer’s general license.

(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 315, Sec. 2. (SB 462) Effective September 21, 2015.)

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