Regulations & Rulemaking

Approved Regulations

Formal Rulemaking Matters Approved by the Office of Administrative Law

Rulemaking agencies, like the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, go through the regular rulemaking process outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act, which involves notice to the public, public comment and responses, and a review for necessity and clarity, to establish standards for interpreting and implementing statutes passed by the Legislature. Once completed, approved rulemakings are codified as a regulation with legal effect within the State. The Department’s approved regulatory packages can be found on the Approved Regulations page.

Pending Rulemaking

Formal Rulemaking Matters Pending with the Office of Administrative Law

Music Venue Licenses

The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (“ABC”) proposes to adopt an emergency regulation to implement the provisions of Senate Bill No. 793 (Chapter 468, Statutes of 2022), which creates a new Music Venue License under the administration of ABC. SB 793 amended Section 23320, and added Article 7 (commencing with Section 23550) to Chapter 3 of Division 9, of the Business and Professions Code. This new statutory scheme, which was approved by Governor Newsom on September 22, 2022, becomes effective on January 1, 2023.

Pending Regulatory Package

• Text of Proposed Regulations
• Notice of Proposed Emergency Action
• Economic and Fiscal Impact Statement (STD. 399)

Beer Price Posting Amendments

This initial regulatory package was noticed to the public on October 28, 2022. An initial comment period concluded on December 13, 2022, and a public hearing was also held on December 13, 2022. The comment period for the proposed modifications noticed on January 31, 2023 ends on February 16, 2023.

Pending Regulatory Package

• Text of Modified Proposed Amended Regulations
• Text of Proposed Amended Regulations
• Notice of Modification to Text of Proposed Regulations
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Public Comments
• Response to Public Comments

NOTICE OF MODIFICATIONS

Any interested person may submit a written statement relating to the Beer Price Posting modified proposed amended regulations during the public comment period. Please limit comments to the Text of Modified Proposed Amended Regulations. The written comment period will close at 12 p.m. on February 16, 2023. Submit written comments to:

Law and Policy Unit
Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: rpu@abc.ca.gov

Premises Expansion

This regulatory package was noticed to the public on September 16, 2022. An initial comment period concluded on November 1, 2022, and a public hearing was also held on November 1, 2022. A correction has been made in both the Initial Statement of Reasons and the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the pending Premises Expansion regulation originally posted on September 16, 2022. Any reference to Business and Professions Code 25050.5 has been corrected to 25750.5 as of September 26, 2022. 

Pending Regulatory Package

• Text of Modified Proposed Regulations
• Text of Proposed Regulations
• Initial Statement of Reasons
• Notice Publication (STD. 400)
• Economic and Fiscal Impact Statement (STD. 399)
• Notice of Modification to Text of Proposed Regulations
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Public Comments
• Responses to Public Comments

NOTICE OF MODIFICATIONS

Any interested person may submit a written statement relating to the Premises Expansion modified proposed regulations during the public comment period. Please limit comments to the Text of Modified Proposed Regulations. The written comment period will close at 12 p.m. on March 13, 2023. Submit written comments to:

Law and Policy Unit
Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: rpu@abc.ca.gov

Proposed Rulemaking

Request for Stakeholder Comment on Preliminary Rulemaking Matters

There are no proposed changes at this time.