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SD-56. On -Sale Liquor or Wine <br />Licenses to Cultural Centers <br />Issue: Cultural centers are not one of the <br />qualifying entities to which municipalities <br />may issue on -sale liquor or wine licenses. <br />Several cultural centers have received <br />special legislation that allows their <br />municipalities to issue on -sale liquor or wine <br />licenses to them. This practice interferes <br />with the ability of municipalities to control <br />the placement and operating manner of these <br />entities. <br />Response: The Legislature should <br />authorize municipalities to issue on -sale <br />liquor or wine licenses to cultural centers, <br />subject to restrictions imposed by the <br />municipality. <br />SD-57. Wine and Off -Sale Licenses <br />Issue: Minn Stat. ch. 340A authorizes cities <br />to issue liquor licenses to various <br />establishments within their jurisdictions, but <br />in virtually all cases, the license issued by <br />the city is not valid until the state approves <br />it. This is true for such commonly issued <br />licenses as wine, off -sale intoxicating liquor <br />and temporary on -sale intoxicating liquor <br />licenses. The result is extra time spent for <br />city staff, as well as a time -based <br />commercial impact to the business pursuing <br />the original license. <br />Additionally, if a business applies for an on - <br />sale wine license, the state may choose to <br />conduct an inspection of the business further <br />delaying approval of the license and full <br />operation of the establishment. This <br />inspection is often in addition to a city <br />certificate of occupancy inspection and a <br />county health inspection. <br />Response: The Legislature should remove <br />the requirement of approval by the <br />commissioner for city -issued liquor <br />licenses and simply require cities to notify <br />the state of newly issued and renewed <br />licenses as is already the case for <br />intoxicating on -sale liquor licenses and all <br />3.2-liquor licenses. If the state requires an <br />inspection to certify an on -sale wine <br />license, this should be delegated to either <br />the city or county to be conducted at the <br />same time as other inspections. This will <br />expedite the process for both the state and <br />the business. <br />SD-58. Youth Access to Alcohol and <br />Tobacco <br />Issue: To promote public safety and public <br />health, cities have an interest in preventing <br />youth from obtaining alcohol and tobacco. <br />For example, the Minnesota Department of <br />Health reports that 80 percent of adult <br />smokers had their first cigarette before the <br />age of 18; reducing youth tobacco use may <br />help prevent adverse impacts of tobacco in <br />the future. To this end, many cities operate <br />compliance check programs in an effort to <br />discern the current level of youth access and <br />to reduce youth access. Statewide, a number <br />of cities have created community <br />partnerships with their court systems, local <br />businesses, and school districts to quickly <br />address problems associated with youth <br />access to alcohol and tobacco. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities opposes any proposal that could <br />result in increased risks of youth access to <br />alcohol and tobacco products. The <br />League supports statutory changes that <br />assist in reducing youth access to alcohol <br />and tobacco products, including <br />increasing the penalties for youth who use <br />false identification and adults who <br />provide alcohol to minors. The League <br />supports locally -determined alcohol <br />compliance check programs, but any state <br />mandate for alcohol compliance checks <br />should come with state -supported funding <br />League of Minnesota Cities <br />2018 City Policies Page 36 <br />