COLLEGE LIQUOR LICENSES S.B. 546:
ANALYSIS AS PASSED BY THE SENATE
Senate Bill 546 (as passed by the Senate)
RATIONALE
The Michigan Liquor Control Code allows the Liquor Control Commission to issue to the governing board of a college or university a license to sell alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises of a conference center operated by the governing board at regularly scheduled conference activities. According to testimony before the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs, the Commission has denied licenses for college conference centers not specifically named in statute. As some conference centers currently named in statute are no longer used, it has been suggested that statute should name the currently used conference centers.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Liquor Control Code to allow the Ferris Building at Grand Rapids and the Eisler Center at Big Rapids, instead of the Conference Center at Big Rapids, the Applied Technology Center at Grand Rapids, and the FSU GR Conference Center, to sell alcohol at scheduled conference center activities.
The Code lists specific buildings that are considered conference centers on specific university campuses, including the Conference Center at Big Rapids, the Applied Technology Center at Grand Rapids, and the FSU GR Conference Center of Ferris State University (FSU). The bill would remove references to the Conference Center at Big Rapids, the Applied Technology Center at Grand Rapids, and the FSU GR Conference Center and replace those references with the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building at Grand Rapids and the David L. Eisler Center at Big Rapids.
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
The Code is out-of-date and should be updated. Testimony before the Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs indicates that FSU no longer uses the Conference Center at Big Rapids, the Applied Technology Center at Grand Rapids, and the FSU GR Conference Center. Currently, FSU hosts conferences at the Ferris Building in Grand Rapids and the Eisler Center in Big Rapids; however, the Commission denied FSU's application for liquor licenses for both properties because it was not permitted by statute. The bill would include the conference centers in the Code, allowing them to receive liquor licenses and profit from the sale of alcohol.
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State of local government.
Analyst: Nathan Leaman; Fiscal Analyst: Josh Sefton
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.