2002 Veto
2002 No Action
2001 Veto
2001 No Action
2000 Signature
2000 Veto
2000 No Action
1999 Signature
1999 Veto
1998 Signature
1998 Veto
1998 No Action
1997 Signature
1997 Veto
1996 Signature
1996 Veto
1995 Signature
1995 Veto
1995 No Action
July 7, 1997
TO THE HONORABLE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
In accordance with the provisions of R.I. Gen. Laws § 43-1-4, I am transmitting herewith, with my disapproval, 97-H 6693, Substitute A, As Amended, "An Act Relating to Alcoholic Beverages."
This Act would require caterers who serve alcohol to obtain a Class F and/or a Class F-l license from the municipality in which they operate. The Act also requires any bartender employed by a caterer holding either license to be certified by a "nationally recognized alcohol beverage server training program." Finally, the Act requires the caterer to buy all of its alcohol from a licensed Class A alcohol retail establishment located in the State of Rhode Island. The Act provides for a fine of $500 for any infraction.
While I do not oppose the concept of licensing those caterers who serve alcohol, I cannot support this Act. Any licensing of caterers should be done statewide, and not on a municipal basis. The catering business, by its very nature, may take place in a number of municipalities, sometimes with little advance notice to the caterer. It is unclear from the Act whether the caterer would be required to obtain a license in the municipality in which it is based or in the municipality in which it intends, ultimately, to serve alcohol. Under either scenario, caterers would be subject to different and possibly conflicting standards. Under the latter scenario, caterers would bear an enormous burden of getting licensed every year in every community where they might, one day, have a job. Such a requirement would be time, cost and logistically prohibitive.
For the foregoing reasons, I disapprove of this legislation and respectfully urge your support of this veto.
Sincerely,
Lincoln Almond
Governor