0001| HOUSE BILL 263
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0002| 43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003| INTRODUCED BY
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0004| MIGUEL P. GARCIA
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0005|
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0006|
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0007|
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0008|
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0009|
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0010| AN ACT
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0011| RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CLARIFYING AND EXPANDING THE
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0012| GROUNDS FOR DENYING AN APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE AND FOR
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0013| REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION OF A LICENSE PURSUANT TO THE LIQUOR
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0014| CONTROL ACT; AMENDING AND ENACTING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.
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0015|
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0016| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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0017| Section 1. Section 60-6B-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1981,
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0018| Chapter 39, Section 38, as amended) is amended to read:
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0019| "60-6B-2. APPLICATIONS.--
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0020| A. Before any new license authorized by the Liquor
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0021| Control Act may be issued by the director, the applicant for
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0022| the license shall:
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0023| (1) submit to the director a written
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0024| application for the license under oath, in the form prescribed
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0025| by and stating the information required by the director,
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0001| together with a nonrefundable application fee of one hundred
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0002| fifty dollars ($150);
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0003| (2) submit to the director for his approval a
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0004| description, including floor plans, in a form prescribed by the
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0005| director, which shows the proposed licensed premises for which
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0006| the license application is submitted. The area represented by
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0007| the approved description shall become the licensed premises;
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0008| (3) if the applicant is a corporation, be
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0009| required to submit as part of its application the following:
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0010| (a) a certified copy of its articles of
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0011| incorporation or, if a foreign corporation, a certified copy of
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0012| its certificate of authority;
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0013| (b) the names and addresses of all
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0014| officers and directors and those stockholders owning ten
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0015| percent or more of the voting stock of the corporation and the
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0016| amounts of stock held by each stockholder; provided, however, a
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0017| corporation may not be licensed if an officer, manager,
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0018| director or holder of more than ten percent of the stock would
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0019| not be eligible to hold a license pursuant to the Liquor
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0020| Control Act, except that the provision of Subsection [B] D
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0021| of Section 60-6B-1 NMSA 1978 shall not apply if the stock is
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0022| listed with a national securities exchange;
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0023| (c) the name of the resident agent of
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0024| the corporation authorized to accept service of process for all
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0025| purposes, including orders and notices of the director, which
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0001| agent shall be approved by the director with respect to his
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0002| character;
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0003| (d) a duly executed power of attorney
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0004| authorizing the agent described in Subparagraph (c) of this
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0005| paragraph to exercise full authority, control and
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0006| responsibility for the conduct of all business and transactions
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0007| of the corporation within the state relative to the sale of
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0008| alcoholic beverages under authority of the license requested;
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0009| and
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0010| (e) such additional information
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0011| regarding the corporation as the director may require to assure
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0012| full disclosure of the corporation's structure and financial
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0013| responsibility;
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0014| (4) if the applicant is a limited partnership,
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0015| submit as part of its application the following:
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0016| (a) a certified copy of its certificate
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0017| of limited partnership;
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0018| (b) the names and addresses of all
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0019| general partners and of all limited partners contributing ten
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0020| percent or more of the total value of contributions made to the
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0021| limited partnership or entitled to ten percent or more of the
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0022| profits earned or other income paid by the limited partnership.
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0023| No limited partnership shall receive a license if any partner
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0024| designated in this subsection would not be eligible to hold a
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0025| license issued pursuant to the Liquor Control Act; and
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0001| (c) such additional information
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0002| regarding the limited partnership as the director may require
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0003| to assure full disclosure of the limited partnership's
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0004| structure and financial responsibility; and
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0005| (5) obtain approval for the issuance from the
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0006| governing body of the local option district in which the
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0007| proposed licensed premises are to be located in accordance with
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0008| the provisions of the Liquor Control Act.
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0009| B. Every applicant for a new license or for a
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0010| transfer of ownership of a license, if an individual or general
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0011| partnership, shall file with the application two complete sets
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0012| of fingerprints of each individual, taken under the supervision
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0013| of and certified to by an officer of the New Mexico state
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0014| police, a county sheriff or a municipal chief of police. If
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0015| the applicant is a corporation, it shall file two complete sets
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0016| of fingerprints for each stockholder holding ten percent or
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0017| more of the outstanding stock, principal officer, director and
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0018| the agent responsible for the operation of the licensed
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0019| business. The fingerprints shall be taken and certified to as
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0020| provided for an individual or partnership. If the applicant is
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0021| a limited partnership, it shall file two complete sets of
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0022| fingerprints for each general partner and for each limited
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0023| partner contributing ten percent or more of the total value of
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0024| contributions made to the limited partnership or entitled to
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0025| ten percent or more of the profits earned or other compensation
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0001| by way of income paid by the limited partnership. The
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0002| fingerprints shall be taken and certified to as provided for an
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0003| individual or partnership.
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0004| C. Upon submission of a sworn affidavit from each
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0005| person who is required to file fingerprints stating that the
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0006| person has not been convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction
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0007| and pending the results of background investigations, a
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0008| temporary license for ninety days may be issued. The temporary
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0009| license may be extended by the director for an additional
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0010| ninety days if the director determines there is not sufficient
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0011| time to complete the background investigation or obtain reviews
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0012| of fingerprints from appropriate agencies. A temporary license
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0013| shall be surrendered immediately upon order of the director.
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0014| D. An applicant who files a false affidavit shall
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0015| be denied a license. When the director determines a false
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0016| affidavit has been filed, he shall refer the matter to the
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0017| attorney general or district attorney for prosecution of
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0018| perjury.
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0019| E. If an applicant is not a resident of New Mexico,
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0020| fingerprints may be taken under supervision and certification
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0021| of comparable officers in the state of residence of the
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0022| applicant.
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0023| F. Every applicant for a new license or a transfer
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0024| of ownership of a license shall file with the application two
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0025| current photographs of the applicant or, if the applicant is a
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0001| legal entity, two current photographs of the agent responsible
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0002| for operation of the licensed business for the applicant. The
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0003| director shall determine the size and type of photographs to be
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0004| submitted. One photograph shall be affixed to the license and
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0005| the other shall be retained on file by the department.
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0006| [F.] G. Before issuing a license, the
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0007| department shall hold a public hearing within thirty days after
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0008| receipt of the application pursuant to Subsection [H] L of
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0009| this section.
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0010| [G.] H. An application for transfer of
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0011| ownership shall be filed with the department no later than
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0012| thirty days after the date a person acquired an ownership
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0013| interest in a license; shall contain documentation of the
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0014| actual purchase price paid for the license, and the actual date
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0015| of sale of the license; and shall be accompanied by a sworn
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0016| affidavit from the owner of record of the license agreeing to
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0017| the sale of the license to the applicant as well as attesting
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0018| to the accuracy of the information required by this section to
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0019| be filed with the department. No license shall be transferred
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0020| unless it will be placed into operation in an actual location
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0021| within one hundred twenty days of issuance of the license,
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0022| unless for good cause shown the director grants an additional
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0023| extension not to exceed one hundred twenty days.
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0024| [H.] I. Whenever it appears to the director
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0025| that there will be more applications for new licenses than the
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0001| available number of new licenses during any time period, a
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0002| random selection method for the qualification, approval and
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0003| issuance of new licenses shall be provided by the director.
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0004| The random selection method shall allow each applicant an equal
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0005| opportunity to obtain an available license, provided that all
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0006| dispenser's and retailer's licenses issued in any calendar year
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0007| shall be issued to residents of the state. For the purposes of
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0008| random selection, the director shall also set a reasonable
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0009| deadline by which applications for the available licenses shall
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0010| be filed. No person shall file more than one application for
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0011| each available license and no more than three applications per
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0012| calendar year.
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0013| [I.] J. After the deadline set in accordance
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0014| with Subsection [H] I of this section, no more than ten
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0015| applications per available license shall be selected at random
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0016| for priority of qualification and approval. Within thirty days
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0017| after the random selection for the ten priority positions for
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0018| each license, a hearing pursuant to Subsection [K] L of
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0019| this section shall be held to determine the qualifications of
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0020| the applicant having the highest priority for each available
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0021| license. If necessary, such a hearing shall be held on each
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0022| selected application by priority until a qualified applicant
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0023| for each available license is approved. Further random
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0024| selections for priority positions shall also be held pursuant
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0025| to this section as necessary.
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0001| [J.] K. All applications submitted for a
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0002| license shall expire upon the director's final approval of a
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0003| qualified applicant for that available license.
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0004| [K.] L. The director shall notify the applicant
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0005| by certified mail of the date, time and place of the hearing.
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0006| The hearing shall be held in Santa Fe. The director may
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0007| designate a hearing officer to take evidence at the hearing.
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0008| The director or the hearing officer shall have the power to
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0009| administer oaths. [L.] M. In determining whether
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0010| a license shall be issued, the director shall take into
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0011| consideration the provisions of Section 60-6B-2.1 NMSA 1978
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0012| and all other requirements of the Liquor Control Act. In
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0013| the issuance of a license, the director shall specifically
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0014| consider the nature and number of prior violations of the
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0015| Liquor Control Act by the applicant or of any citations issued
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0016| within the prior five years against a license held by the
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0017| applicant or in which the applicant had an ownership interest
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0018| required to be disclosed under the Liquor Control Act. The
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0019| director shall disapprove the issuance or give preliminary
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0020| approval of the issuance of the license based upon a review of
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0021| all documentation submitted and any investigation deemed
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0022| necessary by the director.
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0023| [M.] N. Before any new license is issued for a
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0024| location, the director shall cause a notice of the application
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0025| therefor to be posted conspicuously, on a sign not smaller than
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0001| thirty inches by forty inches, on the outside of the front wall
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0002| or front entrance of the immediate premises for which the
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0003| license is sought or, if no building or improvements exist on
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0004| the premises, the notice shall be posted at the front entrance
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0005| of the immediate premises for which the license is sought, on a
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0006| billboard not smaller than five feet by five feet. The
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0007| contents of the notice shall be in the form prescribed by the
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0008| department, and such posting shall be over a continuous period
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0009| of twenty days prior to preliminary approval of the license.
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0010| [N.] O. No license shall be issued until the
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0011| posting requirements of Subsection [M] N of this section
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0012| have been met.
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0013| [O.] P. All costs of publication and posting
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0014| shall be paid by the applicant.
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0015| [P.] Q. It is unlawful for any person to remove
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0016| or deface any notice posted in accordance with this section.
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0017| Any person convicted of a violation of this subsection shall be
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0018| punished by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars
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0019| ($300) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than
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0020| one hundred twenty days or by both.
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0021| [Q.] R. Any person aggrieved by any decision
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0022| made by the director as to the approval or disapproval of the
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0023| issuance of a license may appeal to the district court of
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0024| jurisdiction by filing a petition in the court within thirty
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0025| days from the date of the decision of the director, and a
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0001| hearing on the matter may be held in the district court. If
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0002| the disapproval is based upon local option district disapproval
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0003| pursuant to Subsection H of Section 60-6B-4 NMSA 1978, the
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0004| local option district shall be a necessary party to any appeal.
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0005| The decision of the director shall continue in force, pending a
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0006| reversal or modification by the district court, unless
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0007| otherwise ordered by the court. Any appeal from the decision
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0008| of the district court to the supreme court shall be permitted
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0009| as in other cases of appeals from the district court to the
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0010| supreme court."
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0011| Section 2. A new section of the Liquor Control Act,
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0012| Section 60-6B-2.1 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
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0013| "60-6B-2.1. [NEW MATERIAL] GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL TO
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0014| ISSUE A LICENSE.--The director may refuse to approve an
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0015| application for issuance of a new license or transfer of
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0016| ownership of a license under the Liquor Control Act if the
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0017| director has reasonable grounds to believe that:
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0018| A. the granting of the license is not demanded by
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0019| public interest or convenience;
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0020| B. the applicant:
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0021| (1) is in the habit of using alcoholic
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0022| beverages, habit-forming drugs or controlled substances to
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0023| excess;
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0024| (2) has made false statements to the director
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0025| or any employee of the department;
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0001| (3) is incompetent or physically unable to
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0002| carry on the management of the establishment proposed to be
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0003| licensed;
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0004| (4) has been convicted of a violation of an
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0005| alcoholic beverage law of this state or a political subdivision
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0006| of the state or has been convicted at any time of a felony;
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0007| (5) is not of good repute and moral character;
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0008| (6) if previously licensed under the Liquor
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0009| Control Act, did not have a record of compliance with that act
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0010| or the regulations adopted pursuant to that act when licensed;
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0011| (7) is not the legitimate owner of the
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0012| business proposed to be licensed or has not disclosed any
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0013| person who has an ownership interest in the applicant's
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0014| business that is required to be disclosed; or
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0015| (8) cannot demonstrate financial
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0016| responsibility sufficient to adequately meet the requirements
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0017| of the business proposed to be licensed; or
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0018| C. there is a history of serious and persistent
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0019| problems involving disturbances, lewd or unlawful activities or
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0020| noise either on the premises proposed to be licensed or
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0021| involving patrons of the establishment in the immediate
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0022| vicinity of the premises if the activities in the immediate
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0023| vicinity of the premises are related to the sale or service of
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0024| alcoholic beverages by a person licensed under the Liquor
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0025| Control Act. Behavior that constitutes grounds for refusal of
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0001| a license pursuant to this subsection, where related to the
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0002| sale or service of alcoholic beverages, includes but is not
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0003| limited to obtrusive or excessive noise, music or sound
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0004| vibrations; public drunkenness; fights; altercations;
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0005| harassment; unlawful drug sales; litter related to or resulting
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0006| from the consumption of alcoholic beverages; trespassing on
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0007| private property; and public urination. A history of such
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0008| behavior in or related to premises currently or previously
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0009| operated by the applicant may be considered when reasonable
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0010| inference may be made that similar activities will occur in or
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0011| related to the premises proposed to be licensed."
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0012| Section 3. Section 60-6B-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1981,
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0013| Chapter 39, Section 41) is amended to read:
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0014| "60-6B-5. EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL OF LICENSES.--All
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0015| licenses provided for in the Liquor Control Act shall expire on
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0016| June 30 of each year and may be renewed from year to year under
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0017| the rules and regulations of the department, which shall
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0018| include a requirement that the licensee include with his
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0019| license renewal two current photographs of the licensee or, if
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0020| the licensee is a legal entity, two current photographs of the
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0021| agent responsible for operation of the licensed premises. The
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0022| director shall determine whether any of the licensees under his
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0023| jurisdiction are delinquent in any taxes administered by the
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0024| taxation and revenue department as of June 1 of each year. The
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0025| director shall also determine whether or not there exists any
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0001| other reason why a license should not be renewed. If the
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0002| director determines that the license should not be renewed, he
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0003| shall enter an order requiring the licensee, after notice, to
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0004| show cause why his license should be renewed, and he shall
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0005| conduct a hearing on the matter. If, after the hearing, the
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0006| director finds that the licensee is qualified, he shall renew
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0007| the license."
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0008| Section 4. Section 60-6C-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1981,
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0009| Chapter 39, Section 97, as amended) is amended to read:
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0010| "60-6C-1. GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION, REVOCATION OR
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0011| ADMINISTRATIVE FINE--REPORTING REQUIREMENT.--
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0012| A. The director may suspend or revoke the license
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0013| or permit or fine the licensee in an amount not more than ten
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0014| thousand dollars ($10,000), or both, when he finds that any
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0015| licensee [has]:
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0016| (1) has violated any provision of the Liquor
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0017| Control Act or any regulation or order promulgated pursuant to
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0018| that act;
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0019| (2) has been convicted of a felony pursuant
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0020| to the provisions of the Criminal Code, the Liquor Control Act
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0021| or federal law; [or]
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0022| (3) is in the habit of using alcoholic
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0023| beverages, habit-forming drugs or controlled substances to
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0024| excess;
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0025| (4) is insolvent, incompetent or physically
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0001| unable to carry on the management of the establishment that is
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0002| the licensed premises; or
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0003| [(3)] (5) has permitted his licensed
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0004| premises to remain a public nuisance in the neighborhood where
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0005| it is located after written notice from the director that
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0006| investigation by the department has revealed that the
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0007| establishment is a public nuisance in the neighborhood. The
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0008| licensee's establishment shall be considered a public nuisance
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0009| if the director finds that there is a history of serious and
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0010| persistent problems involving disturbances, lewd or unlawful
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0011| activities or noise either on the licensed premises or
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0012| involving patrons of the establishment in the immediate
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0013| vicinity of the licensed premises if the activities in the
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0014| immediate vicinity of the licensed premises are related to the
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0015| sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages on the licensed
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0016| premises. Behavior that constitutes a public nuisance when
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0017| related to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages
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0018| includes but is not limited to obtrusive or excessive noise,
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0019| music or sound vibrations; public drunkenness; fights;
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0020| altercations; harassment; unlawful drug sales; litter related
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0021| to or resulting from the consumption of alcoholic beverages;
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0022| trespassing on private property; and public urination.
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0023| B. The director shall suspend or revoke the license
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0024| or permit and may fine the licensee in an amount not to exceed
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0025| ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both, when he finds that any
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0001| licensee or:
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0002| (1) his employee or agent knowingly has sold,
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0003| served or given any alcoholic beverage to a minor in violation
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0004| of Section 60-7B-1 NMSA 1978 or to an intoxicated person in
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0005| violation of Section 60-7A-16 NMSA 1978, on two separate
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0006| occasions within any twelve-month period; or
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0007| (2) his agent has made any material false
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0008| statement or concealed any material facts in his application
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0009| for the license or permit granted him pursuant to the
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0010| provisions of the Liquor Control Act.
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0011| C. In addition to other penalties provided in this
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0012| section, any retailer or dispenser who violates the provisions
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0013| of Section 60-7A-16 or 60-7B-1 NMSA 1978 by selling, serving or
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0014| delivering alcoholic beverages to an intoxicated person or a
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0015| minor through a drive-up window at a minimum shall have:
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0016| (1) upon a first violation of this subsection,
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0017| the privilege to sell alcoholic beverages or any other goods
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0018| from his drive-up window suspended by the director for a period
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0019| of two weeks;
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0020| (2) upon a second violation of this
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0021| subsection, the privilege to sell alcoholic beverages or any
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0022| other goods from his drive-up window suspended by the director
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0023| for a period of thirty days;
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0024| (3) upon a third violation of this subsection,
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0025| the privilege to sell alcoholic beverages or any other goods
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0001| from his drive-up window suspended by the director for a period
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0002| of sixty days; and
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0003| (4) upon a fourth violation of this subsection
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0004| within two years of any other violations of Section 60-7A-16 or
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0005| 60-7B-1 NMSA 1978, the privilege to sell alcoholic beverages or
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0006| any other goods from his drive-up window revoked by the
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0007| director and the drive-up window permanently closed.
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0008| D. Any licensee aggrieved by a revocation,
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0009| suspension or fine proposed to be imposed by the director
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0010| pursuant to this section shall be entitled to the hearing
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0011| procedures set forth in [Article 6C of] Chapter 60, Article
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0012| 6C NMSA 1978 before the revocation, suspension or fine shall
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0013| be effective.
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0014| E. Any charge filed against a licensee by the
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0015| department and the resulting disposition of the charge shall be
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0016| reported to the department of public safety and local law
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0017| enforcement agencies whose jurisdictions include the licensed
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0018| establishment."
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0019| Section 5. A new section of the Liquor Control Act is
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0020| enacted to read:
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0021| "[NEW MATERIAL] DISPLAY OF LICENSE WITH CURRENT
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0022| PHOTOGRAPH.--It is a violation of the Liquor Control Act for a
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0023| licensee not to post in a conspicuous place on the licensed
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0024| premises his license that includes a current photograph of the
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0025| licensee or the licensee's agent who is responsible for
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0001| operation of the licensed premises."
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0002|
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