Alcoholic beverage control: waiver neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses.

Assembly Member Mark González's proposal to establish neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses would create a new category of alcohol permits for restaurants in specific Los Angeles County census tracts. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control would issue up to 12 new licenses annually beginning January 1, 2026, with a total cap of 60 licenses across three designated geographic zones.

The licenses would be available only to bona fide eating establishments, with each zone limited to 20 concurrent permits. Current or recent holders of on-sale general licenses for the same premises would be ineligible to apply. While these permits would carry similar privileges as standard on-sale licenses for restaurants, they cannot be transferred between counties or exchanged for public premises licenses. Limited transfers within the same neighborhood zone would be permitted in cases of natural disasters or with department approval.

Starting in 2026, license holders may exercise off-sale privileges after obtaining department authorization. The bill's findings cite unique market conditions in Los Angeles County as the basis for this targeted approach rather than a statewide policy. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control would maintain authority to adopt implementing regulations and approve license transfers within specified parameters.