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--- version:SB 15
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- The Alaska State Legislature
+Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant, and Retailers Association
+1503 W. 31st Avenue, Suite 102
+Anchorage, AK 99503
+Office (907) 274-8133
+www.alaskacharr.com
- menu
+January 23, 2025
- Home
+Dear Honorable Members of the 34th Alaska State Legislature:
- Senate
+I have served as President & CEO of the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant, and Retailers Association
+(commonly known as Alaska CHARR) since 2018. Alaska CHARR has over 700 members and represents over
+2000 hospitality establishments that employ over 36,000 workers across Alaska communities.
+Alaska’s hospitality industry continues to face significant ongoing challenges to business operations, the
+greatest of which being ongoing and increasing labor shortages.
+Currently, Alaska is one of only three states (along with Utah and Nevada) that requires a person to be 21
+years of age or older to serve alcohol. Employers struggle to promote or retain quality employees who are
+18-20 years of age because they are prohibited from serving alcohol or supervising other employees who
+serve or sell alcohol. Alaska is not competitive in this space, and our industry is experiencing an
+outmigration of young workers.
+When I was in my late teens and early twenties, I attended college while serving and bartending in the
+Pacific Northwest. During summer breaks, I stayed in the Pacific Northwest rather than returning home to
+Alaska because I could make significantly more money as a server or manager – positions that I was
+prohibited by law from working in in my home state. In multiple years, I earned six figures by serving and
+bartending as a young adult outside of Alaska; if I had returned to Alaska, I would have been limited under
+current statute to positions that paid 25-30% what I was able to make outside. Many young people are
+making the same choice in today’s labor market which is having a significant impact on Alaska hospitality
+businesses.
+Senate Bill 15 will help hundreds of Alaskan-owned establishments around the state that collectively
+represent Alaska’s largest private employer and second largest industry.
+As the voice of Alaska’s hospitality industry, I respectfully request that you support thousands of workers and
+businesses around the state by voting in support of Senate Bill 15.
+Thank you for your consideration.
- Current Members
+Respectfully,
- Past Members
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-SB 15: "An Act relating to the sale of alcohol; relating to the posting of warning signs for alcoholic beverages; and providing for an effective date."
-
-00 SENATE BILL NO. 15
-01 "An Act relating to the sale of alcohol; relating to the posting of warning signs for
-02 alcoholic beverages; and providing for an effective date."
-03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:
-04 * Section 1. AS 04.09.210(c) is amended to read:
-05 (c) The board may issue or renew a license under this section only if the
-06 (1) board determines that
-07 (A) the licensed premises is a bona fide restaurant as defined in
-08 AS 04.21.080(b);
-09 (B) there is supervision on the premises adequate to reasonably
-10 ensure that a person under 21 years of age will not obtain alcoholic beverages,
-11 unless the person is employed as permitted in AS 04.16.049(d); and
-12 (C) it is unlikely that persons under 21 years of age not
-13 employed on the premises will enter and remain on the licensed premises for
-14 purposes other than dining; and
-
-01 (2) sale and service of food and alcoholic beverages and any other
-02 business conducted on the licensed premises of the restaurant or eating place is under
-03 the sole control of the licensee.
-04 * Sec. 2. AS 04.09.210(d) is amended to read:
-05 (d) The board may authorize the holder of a restaurant or eating place license
-06 (1) to allow a person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years
-07 of age to enter and remain on the licensed premises for dining only;
-08 (2) to allow a person who is under 16 years of age to enter and remain
-09 on the licensed premises for dining only if
-10 (A) the person is accompanied by a person who is 21 years of
-11 age or older; and
-12 (B) the parent or guardian of the person consents to the person
-13 being on the licensed premises; and
-14 (3) subject to AS 04.16.049, to employ or permit the employment of a
-15 person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years of age on the licensed
-16 premises if the employer provides adequate supervision to ensure that an employee
-17 who is 16 or 17 years of age [THE PERSON] does not obtain alcoholic beverages.
-18 * Sec. 3. AS 04.09.250(c) is amended to read:
-19 (c) The holder of a theater license may sell or serve alcoholic beverages only
-20 in designated areas on the licensed premises and only for a period beginning two
-21 hours [ONE HOUR] before the event until one hour after the event [AND DURING
-22 INTERMISSIONS].
-23 * Sec. 4. AS 04.09.360(c) is amended to read:
-24 (c) The board may issue or renew a license under this section only if
-25 (1) the board determines that
-26 (A) the licensed premises is a bona fide restaurant as defined in
-27 AS 04.21.080(b);
-28 (B) there is supervision on the premises adequate to reasonably
-29 ensure that a person under 21 years of age will not obtain alcoholic beverages,
-30 except as provided under AS 04.16.049(d); and
-31 (C) it is unlikely that persons under 21 years of age not
-
-01 employed on the premises will enter and remain on the licensed premises for
-02 purposes other than dining; and
-03 (2) the sale and service of food and alcoholic beverages and any other
-04 business conducted on the licensed premises of the restaurant or eating place is under
-05 the sole control of the licensee.
-06 * Sec. 5. AS 04.09.360(f) is amended to read:
-07 (f) The board may authorize the holder of a seasonal restaurant or eating place
-08 tourism license
-09 (1) to allow a person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years
-10 of age to enter and remain on the licensed premises for dining only;
-11 (2) to allow a person who is under 16 years of age to enter and remain
-12 on the licensed premises for dining only if
-13 (A) the person is accompanied by a person who is 21 years of
-14 age or older; and
-15 (B) the parent or guardian of the person consents to the person
-16 being on the licensed premises; and
-17 (3) subject to AS 04.16.049, to employ or permit the employment of a
-18 person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years of age on the licensed
-19 premises if the employer provides adequate supervision to ensure that an employee
-20 who is 16 or 17 years of age [THE PERSON] does not obtain alcoholic beverages.
-21 * Sec. 6. AS 04.09.450(d) is amended to read:
-22 (d) The board may issue an endorsement under this section only if the board
-23 finds
-24 (1) that the establishment or portion of the establishment for which the
-25 endorsement is requested is a bona fide restaurant;
-26 (2) there is supervision on the premises adequate to reasonably ensure
-27 that a person under 21 years of age will not obtain alcoholic beverages, except as
-28 provided under AS 04.16.049(d); and
-29 (3) that it is unlikely that persons under 21 years of age not employed
-30 on the premises will enter and remain on the premises of the bona fide restaurant for
-31 purposes other than dining.
-
-01 * Sec. 7. AS 04.09.450(e) is amended to read:
-02 (e) The board may authorize the holder of a license with a restaurant
-03 endorsement
-04 (1) to allow a person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years
-05 of age to enter and remain on the licensed premises for dining only;
-06 (2) to allow a person who is under 16 years of age to enter and remain
-07 on the licensed premises for dining only if
-08 (A) the person is accompanied by a person who is 21 years of
-09 age or older; and
-10 (B) the parent or guardian of the person consents to the person
-11 being on the licensed premises; and
-12 (3) subject to AS 04.16.049, to employ or permit the employment of a
-13 person who is at least 16 years of age but under 21 years of age on the premises of the
-14 bona fide restaurant if the employer provides adequate supervision to ensure that an
-15 employee who is 16 or 17 years of age [THE PERSON] does not obtain alcoholic
-16 beverages.
-17 * Sec. 8. AS 04.16.049(d) is amended to read:
-18 (d) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section and AS 04.16.050(a),
-19 a person 18, 19, or 20 years of age may be employed within the licensed premises of a
-20 brewery manufacturer, winery manufacturer, distillery manufacturer, hotel or
-21 motel, large resort, golf course, general wholesaler, limited brewed beverage and wine
-22 wholesaler, common carrier dispensary, outdoor recreation lodge, brewery retailer,
-23 winery retailer, distillery retailer, or restaurant, may enter and remain within those
-24 premises for the purpose of employment, and, other than for a business that offers
-25 adult entertainment, [BUT] may [NOT], in the course of employment, sell, serve,
-26 deliver, or dispense alcoholic beverages.
-27 * Sec. 9. AS 04.16.049(h) is amended to read:
-28 (h) Notwithstanding any other provision in this section, a person under 21
-29 years of age may be present
-30 (1) on the licensed premises of a
-31 (A) common carrier dispensary, destination resort, or outdoor
-
-01 recreation lodge for the purpose of travel, travel lodging, or outdoor recreation
-02 activities provided by the licensee if the person is
-03 (i) [(1)] at least 16 years of age; or
-04 (ii) [(2)] under 16 years of age and a parent or legal
-05 guardian of the underaged person consents;
-06 (B) theater if the person is
-07 (i) at least 16 years of age; or
-08 (ii) under 16 years of age, is accompanied by a
-09 person who is at least 21 years of age, and a parent or legal
-10 guardian of the underaged person consents;
-11 (2) in the areas of a licensed premises covered by a large resort
-12 endorsement, but excluding the areas of the premises originally covered by the
-13 licensee's beverage dispensary or beverage dispensary tourism license where
-14 alcohol is being served, for the purpose of travel, travel lodging, or outdoor
-15 recreation activities provided by the large resort if the person is
-16 (A) at least 16 years of age; or
-17 (B) under 16 years of age and a parent or legal guardian of
-18 the underaged person consents.
-19 * Sec. 10. AS 04.16.049 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
-20 (k) In this section, "business that offers adult entertainment" has the meaning
-21 given in AS 23.10.350(f).
-22 * Sec. 11. AS 04.16.052(a) is amended to read:
-23 (a) A licensee or an agent or employee of the licensee may not with criminal
-24 negligence
-25 (1) allow another person to sell, barter, or give an alcoholic beverage
-26 to a person under the age of 21 years within licensed premises, except as provided in
-27 AS 04.16.049(d);
-28 (2) allow a person under the age of 21 years to enter and remain within
-29 licensed premises except as provided in AS 04.16.049;
-30 (3) allow a person under the age of 21 years to consume an alcoholic
-31 beverage within licensed premises;
-
-01 (4) allow a person under the age of 21 years to sell or serve alcoholic
-02 beverages, except as provided in AS 04.16.049(d);
-03 (5) while working on licensed premises, furnish or deliver alcoholic
-04 beverages to a person under the age of 21 years, except as provided in
-05 AS 04.16.049(d).
-06 * Sec. 12. AS 04.21.065(b) is amended to read:
-07 (b) The warning signs required by (a) of this section must be at least 11 inches
-08 by 14 inches, and the lettering must be at least one-half inch high and in contrasting
-09 colors. The first sign must read, "WARNING: Alcohol use [DRINKING
-10 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SUCH AS BEER, WINE, WINE COOLERS, AND
-11 DISTILLED SPIRITS OR SMOKING CIGARETTES] during pregnancy can cause
-12 birth defects. Alcohol use can cause cancer, including breast and colon cancers."
-13 The second sign must read, "WARNING: A person who provides alcoholic beverages
-14 to a person under 21 years of age, if convicted under AS 04.16.051, could be
-15 imprisoned for up to five years and fined up to $50,000." The third sign must read,
-16 "WARNING: An unaccompanied person under 21 years of age who enters these
-17 premises in violation of law may, under AS 04.16.049(e), be civilly liable for damages
-18 of $1,500." The license or permit holder shall display the first and second signs in a
-19 manner that would make them conspicuous to a person who will be purchasing or
-20 consuming alcoholic beverages or smoking cigarettes on the licensed or designated
-21 premises and shall conspicuously display the third sign at each door through which
-22 customers enter the licensed premises.
-23 * Sec. 13. AS 04.09.250(d) is repealed.
-24 * Sec. 14. This Act takes effect July 1, 2025.
-
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+sharlow@alaskacharr.com

Diffs are computed deterministically from extracted bill text and show additions, deletions, and section moves. Scanned-PDF text extracted via OCR is flagged where confidence is low; see methodology.