Introduced By: Representatives Shavers, G. Levesque, Crowley and C. Levesque
Date Introduced : May 26, 1999
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 3-7-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:
3-7-8. Class C license. -- (a) A retailer's Class C license authorizes the holder of the license to keep for sale and to sell beverages at retail at the place described in the license and to deliver those beverages for consumption on the premises where sold. No beverages shall be sold or served after twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight nor before six o'clock (6:00) a.m. Local license boards in the several cities and towns may fix an earlier closing time within their discretion. The license authorizes the holder to keep for sale and sell beverages including beer in cans, at retail at the place described in the license and to deliver those beverages for consumption on the premises.
(b) The license authorizes the holder to sell pre-packaged foods prepared off the premises with beverages but prohibits the preparation and serving of foods cooked on the premises. The holder of the license may serve with beverages and without charge popcorn, crackers, bread, pretzels, sausage of any type, pickles, sardines, smoked herring, lupino beans, and potato chips. No food shall be cooked on the premises but pre-packaged foods prepared and cooked off the premises and purchased by the holder from a supplier may be warmed and sold on the premises in their original packaging, and all foods shall be covered in accordance with the regulations of the state department of health. The annual fee for the license is four hundred dollars ($400) to six hundred dollars ($600), prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year.
(c) The town council of the town of Coventry is authorized to prohibit by ordinance the issuance of Class C licenses. Upon prohibiting Class C licenses, the license board of the town of Coventry shall issue Class B licenses to the holder of all Class C licenses in the town of Coventry. The Class B licenses may be issued to the holders of Class C licenses notwithstanding any requirements of section 3-7-7. The holders of Class C licenses shall have the full privileges of a Class B license and shall pay the annual fee provided for Class B licenses.
{ADD (d) Notwithstanding any prohibitions on the preparation and serving of foods cooked on the premises contained in paragraph (b) herein, the holders of Class C licenses in the city of Newport are authorized to prepare and serve foods cooked on the premises. The holders of Class C licenses in the city of Newport shall be deemed to be victualling houses for purposes of Rhode Island General Laws section 3-8-1. ADD}
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
