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.169368A.1
HOUSE MEMORIAL
48
TH LEGISLATURE
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
FIRST SESSION
, 2007
INTRODUCED BY
Thomas A. Garcia
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO CREATE THE
INTERIM "LIQUOR LICENSING LAWS REVIEW COMMITTEE".
WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the Liquor Control Act to
license, regulate and control the sale, service and public
consumption of alcoholic beverages in order to protect the
public health, safety and morals of every community in the
state; and
WHEREAS, the Liquor Control Act is the result of a
comprehensive review of New Mexico's liquor laws that occurred
in 1981, but there has been no similar comprehensive review for
twenty-six years; and
WHEREAS, New Mexico has a quota system of one license for
each two thousand inhabitants in municipalities and
unincorporated areas of counties for full-service liquor
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.169368A.1
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licenses; and
WHEREAS, in some municipalities and counties there are
more licenses than the quota system would otherwise permit, but
these licenses have been permitted by the Liquor Control Act;
and
WHEREAS, a consequence of the quota system and additional
permitted licenses is that few if any new full-service licenses
can be issued in the foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS, one goal of the Liquor Control Act was to
eliminate the concept of vested property rights in liquor
licenses, but because full-service licenses can be transferred
as to ownership and location, they have gained or retained
inherent value, in some cases selling for thousands of dollars;
and
WHEREAS, the cost of a full-service liquor license, to the
extent one is available on the open market, is beyond the
economic means of some hospitality businesses that would
otherwise create economic development projects in New Mexico;
and
WHEREAS, the Liquor Control Act created the restaurant
license, which permits the sale and service of beer and wine
with meals, to address the economic development issue for
restaurants, but that license does not serve the needs of some
restaurants, hotels, destination resorts and similar large-
scale developments; and
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.169368A.1
- 3 -
WHEREAS, each legislative session, there are bills
introduced to provide additional full-service licenses, but
these bills do not address the issue in a comprehensive manner;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico
legislative council be requested to appoint an interim "liquor
licensing laws review committee" to receive testimony; to study
liquor licensing issues, including the quota system, the
ownership and location transfer of licenses, whether more
licenses would encourage economic development, the marketing of
liquor licenses and the impact of additional licenses on the
health, safety and morals of New Mexicans; and to recommend
appropriate actions needed to address relevant issues
identified from testimony and the study process; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico legislative
council be requested to appoint twenty members to the interim
liquor licensing laws review committee with political party
affiliation proportionate to that in the New Mexico
legislature; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the liquor licensing laws
review committee report its findings and make its
recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2008; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the co-chairs of the New Mexico legislative
council.