* § 18. Powers and duties of the chairman. The chairman shall have the following functions, powers and duties:

1. To exercise the powers and perform the duties in relation to the administration of the division of alcoholic beverage control as are not specifically vested by this chapter in the state liquor authority, including but not limited to budgetary and fiscal matters.

2. To preside at all meetings of the authority and perform the administrative functions of the authority.

3. To appoint any necessary deputies, counsels, assistants, investigators, and other employees within the limits provided by appropriation.

4. To remove any employee of the authority for cause, after giving such employee a copy of the charges against him or her in writing, and an opportunity to be heard thereon. Any action taken under this subdivision shall be subject to and in accordance with the civil service law.

5. To keep records in such form as he or she may prescribe of all licenses and permits issued and revoked within the state; such records shall be so kept as to provide ready information as to the identity of all licensees including the names of the officers and directors of corporate licensees and the location of all licensed premises. The chairman may, with the approval of the commissioner of taxation and finance, contract to furnish copies of the records of licenses and permits of each class and type issued within the state or any political subdivision thereof, for any license or permit year or term of years not exceeding five years.

6. To inspect or provide for the inspection of any premises where alcoholic beverages are manufactured or sold.

7. To prescribe forms of applications for licenses and permits under this chapter and of all reports deemed necessary by the authority.

8. To delegate to the officers and employees of the authority such of his or her powers and duties as he or she may determine.

9. To establish appropriate procedures to insure that hearing officers are shielded from ex parte communications with alleged violators and their attorneys and from other employees of the authority and shall take such other steps as it shall deem necessary and proper to shield its judicial processes from unwarranted and inappropriate communications and attempts to influence.

10. (a) To develop and establish minimum criteria for alcohol training awareness programs which may be given and administered by schools; other entities including trade associations whose members are engaged in or involved in the retail sale of alcoholic beverages; national and regional franchisors who have granted at least five franchises in the state which are licensed to sell beer at retail for off-premises consumption; licensees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for off-premises consumption operating five or more licensed premises; and persons interested, whether as an individual proprietor or partner or officer or member of a limited liability company, in five or more licensees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for off-premises consumption. The authority shall provide for the issuance of certificates of approval to all certified alcohol training awareness programs. Certificates of approval may be revoked by the authority for failure to adhere to the authority's rules and regulations. Such rules and regulations shall afford those who have been issued a certificate of approval an opportunity for a hearing prior to any determination of whether such certificate should be revoked.

(b) No licensee shall be required to apply for any such certificate or renewal certificate and the licensee may voluntarily surrender such a certificate or renewal certificate at any time. A fee in the amount of nine hundred dollars shall be paid to the authority with each application for a certificate of approval or renewal certificate. The authority shall promptly refund such fee to an applicant whose application was denied. Each certificate of approval and renewal thereof shall be issued for a period of three years. To effectuate the provisions of this subdivision, the authority is empowered to require in connection with an application the submission of such information as the authority may direct; to prescribe forms of applications and of all reports which it deems necessary to be made by any applicant or certificate holder; to conduct investigations; to require the maintenance of such books and records as the authority may direct; to revoke, cancel, or suspend for cause any certificate provided for in this subdivision. Each entity authorized to give and administer an alcohol training awareness program shall issue certificates of completion to all licensees and employees who successfully complete such an approved alcohol training awareness program. Such entity shall regularly transmit to the authority the names, addresses and dates of attendance of all the licensees and employees of licensees who successfully complete an approved alcohol training awareness program. Such transmittal shall be in a form and manner prescribed by the authority. The authority shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this subdivision, including the minimum requirements for the curriculum of each such training program and the regular ongoing training of employees holding certificates of completion or renewal certificates. Such rules and regulations shall include the minimum requirements for a separate curriculum for licensees and their employees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for off-premises consumption, minimum requirements for a separate curriculum for licensees and their employees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption, and the form of a certificate of completion or renewal thereof to be issued in respect to each such type of program. Such rules and regulations shall include a requirement that all curriculums include training related to human trafficking awareness. Such human trafficking awareness training curriculum shall be developed in conjunction with, and approved by, the New York state interagency task force on human trafficking. Such human trafficking awareness training program shall be implemented by each entity authorized to give and administer an alcohol training awareness program. Any such entity that does not implement a human trafficking awareness program as part of its curriculum shall no longer be authorized to administer any alcohol training awareness program and shall not be eligible to be certified as a state liquor authority school. Any alcohol training awareness program that is currently certified by the state liquor authority shall lose its certification if such program fails to include human trafficking awareness training as part of its curriculum.

(c) A certificate of completion or renewal thereof issued by an entity authorized to give and administer an alcohol training awareness program pursuant to this subdivision to licensees and their employees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for off-premises consumption shall not be invalidated by a change of employment to another such licensee. A certificate of completion or renewal thereof issued by an entity authorized to give and administer an alcohol training awareness program pursuant to this subdivision to licensees and their employees authorized to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption shall not be invalidated by a change of employment to another such licensee. Attendance at any course established pursuant to this section shall be in person, through distance learning methods, or through an internet based online program.

11. To make an annual report to the governor and the legislature of its activities for the preceding year.

12. On and after January first, two thousand twelve, the report provided for in subdivision eleven of this section shall include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the prohibition on the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of twenty-one as provided in section sixty-five-b of this chapter with particular emphasis on the provisions of subdivisions one, two, three, four and five of section sixty-five-b, subdivision five of section one hundred nineteen and subdivision six of section sixty-five of this chapter, paragraph (b) of subdivision seven of § 170.55 of the criminal procedure law and subdivision (f) of § 19.07 of the mental hygiene law.

13. On and after January first, two thousand twelve, the report provided for in subdivision eleven of this section shall include information related to the number of licenses applied for and the length of time required for the approval or denial of such retail license applied for pursuant to subdivision two-c of section sixty-one, section sixty-four, section seventy-six, section seventy-six-a, section seventy-six-c, and section seventy-six-d of this chapter.

14. To study and report to the governor and the legislature biennially on or before February first of each year concerning:

(a) recommendations to reduce the number and type of licenses, and to establish a uniform, statewide schedule of fees, such recommendations to include the development of a master application form for all licenses, with specific exhibits required for specific licenses, as appropriate, as well as recommendations on a non-refundable application fee set at a level which will cover the cost of the review and which would be applied against the first year license fee if the application is granted;

(b) recommendations to simplify license renewal procedures;

(c) recommendations to streamline the processing of applications and to eliminate duplication of reviews, such recommendations to include uniform standards for application review and decision which shall seek to assure that the review is as objective as possible and to narrow the discretion of the authority or of any reviewer employed by the authority;

(d) the extent to which quality of life issues, such as noise level, vehicular traffic and parking are considered in licensing decisions, particularly as such issues pertain to proceedings pursuant to subdivision seven of section sixty-four of this chapter;

(e) recommendations to improve enforcement methodologies in order to protect the health and safety of residents of communities experiencing persistent problems in the operation of retail establishments;

(f) recommendations concerning the addition of field enforcement personnel and the ratios of such field enforcement personnel to the total numbers of licensees that in the view of the authority would be appropriate to insure compliance with the law. Such study shall provide a detailed analysis of the costs and projected revenues to be obtained from the addition of such field enforcement personnel;

(g) such other observations and recommendations concerning the activities of the authority as will improve its effectiveness and efficiency including the utilization of on-line services to provide information on a fee-for-service basis; and

(h) provide information concerning the name, total quantity and total price of wine purchased from New York state and out-of-state wineries and farm wineries, and such other information on and recommendations concerning interstate wine shipment.

15. For state fiscal year two thousand twelve–two thousand thirteen, the authority shall, within amounts appropriated therefor, improve and update their information technology in order to meet federal security requirements and to assist in the processing of license and/or permit applications and renewals.

* NB Effective until July 18, 2024

* § 18. Powers and duties of the chairman. The chairman shall have the following functions, powers and duties:

1. To exercise the powers and perform the duties in relation to the administration of the division of alcoholic beverage control as are not specifically vested by this chapter in the state liquor authority.

2. To preside at all meetings of the authority and perform the administrative functions of the authority.

3. To keep records in such form as he may prescribe of all licenses and permits issued and revoked within the state; such records shall be so kept as to provide ready information as to the identity of all licensees including the names of the officers and directors of corporate licensees and the location of all licensed premises. The chairman may, with the approval of the commissioner of taxation and finance, contract to furnish copies of the records of licenses and permits of each class and type issued within the state or any political subdivision thereof, for any license or permit year or term of years not exceeding five years.

4. To inspect or provide for the inspection of any premises where alcoholic beverages are manufactured or sold.

5. To prescribe forms of applications for licenses and permits under this chapter and of all reports deemed necessary by the authority.

6. To delegate to the officers and employees of the division such of his powers and duties as he may determine.

* NB Effective July 18, 2024