(a) A club permit shall allow the retail sale of alcoholic liquor to be consumed on the premises of a club but only by members or their guests. The annual fee for a club permit shall be three hundred dollars.

(b) “Club” means an association of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, which has been in existence as a bona fide organization for at least three years prior to applying for a permit issued as provided by this chapter, or has been a bona fide national or international fraternal or social organization or affiliation thereof which has been in existence in this state for one year, for the promotion of some common object, not including associations organized for any commercial or business purpose the object of which is money profit, owning, hiring or leasing a building, or space in a building, or having substantial control of a building or space therein, of such extent and character as, in the judgment of the department, may be suitable and adequate for the reasonable and comfortable use and accommodation of its members and their guests; provided, as to such clubs as the department finds to be bona fide and which offer facilities and privileges in addition to the privileges of the club building, such as golf, tennis, bathing or beach facilities, hunting or riding, the three-year requirement shall not apply; and provided such club shall file with the department, upon request, within ten days of February first in each year, a list of the names and residences of its members, and shall similarly file, within ten days of the election of any additional member, his name and address, and provided its aggregate annual membership fees or dues and other income, exclusive of any proceeds of the sale of alcoholic liquor, shall be sufficient to defray the annual rental of its leased or rented premises, or, if such premises are owned by the club, shall be sufficient to meet the taxes, insurance and repairs and the interest on any mortgage thereof; and provided, further, its affairs and management shall be conducted by a board of directors, executive committee or similar body chosen by the members at their annual meeting, and no member or any officer, agent or employee of the club shall be paid or, directly or indirectly, shall receive in the form of salary or other compensation any profits from the disposition or sale of alcoholic liquor to the club or to the members of the club or its guests introduced by members, beyond the amount of such salary as may be fixed and voted at annual meetings by the members or by its directors or other governing body and as reported by the club to the department, within three months after such annual meeting, and as, in the judgment of the department, is reasonable and proper compensation for the services of such member, officer, agent or employee.

(c) A nonprofit club permit shall allow the retail sale of alcoholic liquor to be consumed on the premises of a nonprofit club by members or their guests and by persons other than members or their guests, provided the total receipts of such club in any year, including receipts from the sale of alcoholic liquor, derived from making its facilities and services available to such persons in furtherance of such club's recreational or other nonprofit purpose shall not exceed fifteen per cent of such club's gross receipts for such year. “Nonprofit club” means a club that is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code and is described in Section 501(c) of the code. The annual fee for a nonprofit club permit shall be eight hundred fifteen dollars.

(1949 Rev., S. 4245; P.A. 75-641, S. 7; P.A. 81-287, S. 3; P.A. 93-139, S. 21; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 341.)

History: P.A. 75-641 deleted reference to Subdiv. (7) of Sec. 30-1; P.A. 81-287 added Subsec. (b) specifying kind and extent of sales permitted under a nonprofit club permit; P.A. 93-139 added the annual fees for club and nonprofit club permits and definitions of “club” and “nonprofit club” and made technical changes; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 increased fee in Subsec. (a) from $240 to $300 and increased fee in Subsec. (c) from $650 to $815.

One of the purposes of this legislation is to protect state against applications from organizations which are mere devices to obtain right to sell liquor. 125 C. 108. Cited. 184 C. 75.