33:1-43. Alcoholic beverage retailing restrictions

33:1-43. a. It shall be unlawful for any owner, part owner, stockholder or officer or director of any corporation, or any other person whatsoever interested in any way whatsoever in any brewery, winery, distillery or rectifying and blending plant, or any wholesaler of alcoholic beverages, to conduct, own either in whole or in part, or be directly or indirectly interested in the retailing of any alcoholic beverages in New Jersey except as provided in this chapter, and such interest shall include any payments or delivery of money or property by way of loan or otherwise accompanied by an agreement to sell the product of said brewery, winery, distillery, rectifying and blending plant or wholesaler.

b. It shall be unlawful for any owner, part owner, stockholder or officer or director of any corporation, or any other person whatsoever, interested in any way whatsoever in the retailing of alcoholic beverages to conduct, own either whole or in part, or to be a shareholder, officer or director of a corporation or association, directly or indirectly, interested in any brewery, winery, distillery, rectifying and blending plant, or wholesaling or importing interest of any kind whatsoever.

No interest in the retailing of alcoholic beverages shall be deemed to exist by reason of the ownership, delivery or loan of interior signs designed for and exclusively used for advertising the product of or product offered for sale by such brewery, winery, distillery or rectifying and blending plant or wholesaler.

c. Nothing in this section shall prohibit:

(1) The exercise of limited retail privileges by Class A or Class B licensees conferred pursuant to R.S.33:1-10, R.S.33:1-11, by rule or regulation or by special permit issued by the director;

(2) Any owner, part owner, stockholder, officer or director of any corporation, or any other person whatsoever interested in any way whatsoever in any brewery, winery, distillery, rectifying and blending plant or any wholesaler of alcoholic beverages, from conducting, owning, either in whole or in part, or being directly or indirectly interested in the retailing of any alcoholic beverages, under any retail consumption license or State issued permit, in conjunction with and as a part of the operations of a hotel or motel;

(3) Any owner, part owner, stockholder or officer or director of any corporation, or any other person or corporation interested in any way whatsoever in the retailing of alcoholic beverages, under a retail consumption license or State issued permit, in conjunction with and as a part of the operations of a hotel or motel from conducting, owning, either in whole or in part, or being a shareholder, officer or director of a corporation or association, directly or indirectly interested in any brewery, winery, distillery, rectifying and blending plant, or wholesaling or importing interest of any kind whatsoever; or

(4) The exercise of a restricted brewery license privilege by an immediately adjoining restaurant having a plenary retail consumption license issued under R.S.33:1-12.

No more than 20% of the total gross annual revenues of a hotel or motel described in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be derived from the sale of alcoholic beverages by the hotel or motel. A retail licensee described in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall not purchase or sell any alcoholic beverage product produced or sold by the brewery, winery, distillery, rectifying and blending plant, wholesaler or importer that has any interest in the retail license of the hotel or motel, unless the total of all such products is 5% or less of the total volume of alcoholic beverage products purchased and sold annually by the hotel or motel holding the retail license. The retail licensee shall, within 30 days following the effective date of this act, file with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control a list of all alcoholic beverage products which shall not be purchased or sold by the hotel or motel except to the extent permitted herein. Thereafter, the retail licensee shall file a new or amended list with the division within 30 days of any changed circumstances which affect the information on the list. This list shall be made available to the public upon request.

For purposes of this subsection "hotel" or "motel" means an establishment containing at least 100 guest room accommodations where the relationship between the occupants thereof and the owner or operator of the establishment is that of innkeeper and guest.

Amended 1938,c.147; 1939,c.225; 1940,c.234; 1966,c.58,s.1; 1983,c.572; 1987,c.433; 1993,c.216,s.3.