State Rep. Marci Mustello | Pennsylvania 11th Legislative District
State Rep. Marci Mustello | Pennsylvania 11th Legislative District
The Pennsylvania state Senate has approved a bill sponsored by Representative Marci Mustello, aimed at assisting business owners in transferring liquor licenses. The legislation permits the transfer of pre-approved liquor licenses for various establishments, such as hotels, restaurants, and clubs, provided a surcharge is paid.
The bill outlines that if a licensee cannot meet the requirements to obtain operating authority, they can request a transfer accompanied by a surcharge. The surcharge is set at $15,000 for licenses in counties classified from first to third class and $5,000 for those in counties classified from fourth to eighth class. Additionally, the time between initial application approval and the issuance of operating authority will be considered as time in safekeeping.
Representative Mustello stated that the bill addresses issues in transferring specific types of liquor licenses. "It maintains Pennsylvania’s high standards for the operation of establishments while removing barriers and reducing time to getting new businesses up and running," she said. Mustello emphasized that this legislation would benefit business owners needing to transfer liquor licenses under certain conditions.
House Bill 38 now awaits the governor's signature.