New York Senate Bill S10377

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

Caption

Allows the state liquor authority to issue a retail license for on-premises consumption for a premises which shall be located within two hundred feet of a building occupied as a school, church, synagogue or other place of worship.

Summary

S10377 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law to create a narrow exception to New York’s 200-foot rule for on-premises liquor licenses. Under current law, the State Liquor Authority generally may not issue a retail liquor license for premises located within 200 feet of a school, church, synagogue, or other place of worship. This bill would allow such a license for a specific premises in Manhattan, provided the location is a food or beverage establishment for on-premises consumption and falls within the bill’s detailed parcel description. The measure is highly site-specific: it applies only to two identified parcels at 2143 and 2145 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, New York County. The bill takes effect immediately and would authorize the State Liquor Authority to consider issuing an on-premises retail liquor license for that location despite the proximity restriction that would otherwise bar it.

Impact

The bill would create a one-time statutory exception to section 64 of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, effectively overriding the 200-foot proximity restriction for a single Manhattan premises. Its practical effect is to permit the State Liquor Authority to issue an on-premises liquor license for the specified food or beverage establishment even though it is near protected institutions such as schools or houses of worship. The change would not broadly alter statewide licensing rules, but it would carve out a localized exception for the named tax lots in New York County.

Sentiment

Because the bill text and available context show no committee transcript or recorded votes, there is no documented debate or formal vote history to gauge broad legislative sentiment. The structure of the bill suggests a targeted local licensing request rather than a controversial statewide policy change, which often indicates limited opposition or a routine accommodation. However, the absence of recorded discussion means sentiment cannot be assessed with certainty beyond the bill’s narrow, permissive purpose.

Contention

The main point of potential contention is the bill’s exception to the long-standing 200-foot rule designed to protect schools and places of worship from nearby liquor outlets. Supporters would likely view the measure as a narrowly tailored local economic or business accommodation for a specific Manhattan establishment, while opponents could argue that it weakens a public-protection standard and sets an undesirable precedent, even if only for one site. Because the bill is location-specific and no transcripts are available, no named stakeholders or articulated objections are documented in the provided materials.