New York Senate Bill S09543

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/23/26
• Refer: 3/23/26

Caption

Provides an exemption for a certain parcel of land in Manhattan from selling alcohol within a certain distance from a church; provides for the repeal of certain provisions upon expiration thereof.

Summary

S09543 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to create a narrow, parcel-specific exemption to New York’s distance restrictions on retail on-premises liquor licenses near schools and places of worship. Under current law, the State Liquor Authority generally may not issue certain alcohol licenses for premises within 200 feet of a school, church, synagogue, or other place of worship. This bill would allow that restriction to be waived for one identified Manhattan property used for retail food or beverage service on the first floor and basement at 1003 Second Avenue in New York County, described by metes and bounds and tax map reference. The exemption is temporary and self-repealing. It takes effect immediately, but the special authorization expires if the parcel is sold or transferred unless the licensee immediately acquires a leasehold in connection with that transfer; if a leasehold is obtained, the exemption ends when that lease terminates. The bill also requires the State Liquor Authority to notify the legislative bill drafting commission when the parcel is sold, transferred, or the leasehold ends so the official law database can be updated.

Impact

If enacted, the bill would carve out a single-property exception from section 64 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, allowing the State Liquor Authority to issue an on-premises retail liquor license for a location that would otherwise be barred by the 200-foot rule. The practical effect is limited to the specified Manhattan premises and does not broadly change statewide zoning or licensing standards, though it creates a precedent for individualized legislative exemptions to liquor-distance restrictions. The bill also adds administrative duties for the State Liquor Authority and legislative bill drafting commission to track the exemption’s expiration and maintain accurate statutory text.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented debate or recorded sentiment in the supplied materials. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be a targeted local licensing accommodation rather than a controversial statewide policy change. The sponsor’s approach suggests support for a specific business location while preserving the general rule elsewhere.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the bill’s creation of a special exception for one identified Manhattan parcel, which may raise fairness or precedent concerns because it relaxes a generally applicable alcohol licensing restriction for a single property. Opponents of such measures could argue that it undermines the uniform application of the 200-foot rule protecting schools and houses of worship, while supporters would likely view it as a limited, property-specific economic development or business viability measure. No direct objections or endorsements are included in the available record.