ABRA's Last Call Newsletter: Sept/Oct 2021 Edition

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Last Call Newsletter

SEPT/OCT 2021

APPROACHING DEADLINES

Annual License Fees | Friday, September 30

Third Year License Fee

  • Retailer CR/DR
  • Retailer CH/DH
  • Retailer CT/DT
  • Multipurpose facility CX/DX
  • Common Carrier CX/DX
  • Retailer Arena CX
  • Club CX/DX
  • Caterer

Second and Third Year License Fee

(The original deadline for the second year payment was September 30, 2020)

  • CN

Licensees who do not submit on-time payments will be subject to a late fee of $50 per business day, not to exceed the annual license fee, starting on Friday, October 1.

All alcohol license holders are subject to the applicable fees regardless of any temporary suspension of operations or permanent closures. Failure to provide an on-time payment may result in fines and/or license suspension or revocation.

Alcohol Carry-Out and Delivery Endorsement Fee | September 30

Alcohol licensees who registered with ABRA to offer alcohol for carry-out and delivery prior to April 1, 2021 must pay a $200 endorsement fee by the deadline to continue the service.

Licensees that fail to pay the fee must cease the service on Friday, October 1. Failure to do so may result in fines and/or license suspension or revocation.

To restore the permission, licensees must submit an application which may be subject to a public comment period and approval by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board.

Safekeeping | September 30

Licensees with an alcohol license in safekeeping must submit a signed written extension request by the deadline to extend the status. License holders whose requests are approved must pay a safekeeping fee within 30-days of the invoice date. Invoices will be mailed in mid-to-late October. Licensees must also continue to provide the on-time payment of annual license fees.


ABC MANAGER

On February 21, 2021, legislation took effect that made several enhancements to the ABC Manager licensure process to reduce administrative burdens for licensees, minimize renewal lapse risks, and introduce cost savings.

Modifications include the following:

  1. The license validity period has been extended from two (2) to three (3) years from the date of issuance.
  2. License holders only need to complete and pay for Alcohol Awareness Training once (1) every three (3) years instead of once (1) every two (2) years.
  3. Applicants only need to pay for and submit a police clearance report every (3) years instead of every two (2) years.

Initial and renewal applications are available online.

ABC Manager Licenses continue to be issued to and maintained by the individual named on the license for the entire licensing period. An ABC Manager’s License is NOT associated with or controlled by any establishment—even if it was paid for by a representative of that establishment.

As a reminder, all alcohol establishments must have an ABC Manager, in lieu of the owner, on duty and on-premises during business hours to sell and serve alcohol. Failure to do so may result in a fine and/or license suspension or revocation.


EXTENDED HOURS

Eligible on-premises retailers and manufacturers with an on-site sales and consumption permit may extend their operating hours during Indigenous Peoples’ Day Weekend. Starting the evening of Friday, October 8 and ending at 4:00 a.m. on Monday, October 11, establishments registered in the Extended Hours Program may sell alcohol until 4:00 a.m. and operate 24-hours a day.

A roster of registered and approved establishments is available online.

Registered establishments are reminded that Settlement Agreements, Board Orders, Mayor’s Orders, and ABC Board emergency rulemakings apply.

Registration in the Extended Holiday Hours program is accepted on an ongoing basis. Registration is free of charge and participation is optional.

To register, licensees must submit an Extended Holiday Hours Application and Public Safety Form at least 30-days before the first approved holiday that they would like to participate.

The next holiday approved for extended hours is Veterans Day and Veterans Day Weekend. The 2021 Extended Holiday Hours calendar is available for download.


NEW VIRTUAL TRAININGS

ABRA hosts virtual training and information sessions throughout the year at no cost. Upcoming sessions include:

Common Violations and How to Avoid Them
Monday, October 25, 2021 | 10:30 a.m.
A learning burst session (30-minutes or less) focused on helping alcohol licensees get and stay in compliance with alcohol laws and regulations and avoid fines and license suspensions or revocation.

ABC 101
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 10:00 a.m.
A foundation course designed to introduce prospective and new ABC license holder - specifically on-premises and off-premises retailers and manufacturers - to ABRA and key ABC basics.

ID Compliance
Monday, November 22, 2021 | 10:00 a.m.
A foundation course focused on preventing underage drinking by reducing youth access to alcohol through retailer education.

Recording of select recent sessions are available including:

Steps to Getting an Alcohol License
Recording Date | June 8, 2021
Tuesday, June 8, 2021 This session is focused on helping entrepreneurs better understand the alcohol licensure application and issuance processes, selecting the appropriate form for your business type, and how to best leverage ABRA’s in-house expertise.

Rodent Abatement
Recording Date | May 25, 2021
Co-presented with the District’s Department of Health, this session covers best practices, statutory requirements, and District Government resources for rodent prevention on-premises (indoor and outdoor) and the areas surrounding their establishment.


SELF SERVICE RESOURCES

ABRA's website is an excellent starting point for frequently asked resources including:

  • Current alcohol licensees Details all current alcohol licensees in the District. Organized by alcohol license number, trade name, street address, license class and type, Ward, and Single Member District. Published monthly.
  • Alcohol license issuances Details new alcohol license issuances, status changes, and substantial change requests approved by the ABC Board. Published weekly.
  • Reopening DC Citation Schedule Details Mayor’s Order and ABC emergency rulemaking violations. Published weekly.
  • ABC Board Hearing Transcripts Details spoken and audio content from ABC hearings. Published on an ongoing basis.

CLOSURE

ABRA’s physical office will be closed on Monday, October 11 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The office will reopen on Tuesday, October 12 at 8:30 a.m.

The ABC Board will be in recess on Wednesday, October 13. ABRA will remain open during normal business hours between 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.