HOUSE BILL No. 4005

 

January 15, 2015, Introduced by Rep. Heise and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

 

     A bill to amend 1998 PA 58, entitled

 

"Michigan liquor control code of 1998,"

 

by amending section 903 (MCL 436.1903), as amended by 2010 PA 175.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 903. (1) The commission or any commissioner or duly

 

authorized agent of the commission designated by the chairperson of

 

the commission, upon due on notice and proper hearing, may suspend

 

or revoke any license upon on a violation of this act or any of the

 

rules promulgated by the commission under this act. The Except as

 

otherwise provided in subsection (3), the commission or any

 

commissioner or duly authorized agent of the commission designated

 

by the chairperson of the commission, may assess a penalty of not

 

less than $100.00 but not more than $300.00 $750.00 for each


 

violation of this act or rules promulgated under this act, or not

 

more than $1,000.00 for each violation of section 801(2), in

 

addition to or in lieu of revocation or suspension of the license,

 

which penalty shall must be paid to the commission and deposited

 

with the state treasurer and shall must be credited to the general

 

fund of the state. The commission shall hold a hearing and order

 

the suspension or revocation of a license if the licensee has been

 

found liable for 3 or more separate violations of section 801(2)

 

which violations occurred on different occasions within a 24-month

 

period unless such violations for the sale, furnishing, or giving

 

alcoholic liquor to a minor were discovered by the licensee and

 

disclosed to an appropriate law enforcement agency immediately upon

 

discovery. A retail licensee who sells, offers to sell, accepts,

 

furnishes, possesses, or allows the consumption of spirits in

 

violation of section 901(6) is subject to an administrative fine of

 

not more than $2,500.00 per occurrence and the following license

 

sanctions after notice and opportunity for an administrative

 

hearing under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA

 

306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328:

 

     (a) For a first violation, a license revocation or suspension

 

for between 1 and 30 days.

 

     (b) For a second violation, a license revocation or suspension

 

for between 31 and 90 days.

 

     (c) For a third or subsequent violation, revocation of the

 

license.

 

     (2) The commission shall provide a procedure by which a

 

licensee who is aggrieved by any penalty imposed under subsection


 

(1), (3), or (4) and any suspension or revocation of a license

 

ordered by the commission, a commissioner, or a duly authorized

 

agent of the commission may request a hearing for the purpose of

 

presenting any facts or reasons to the commission as to why the

 

penalty, suspension, or revocation should be modified or rescinded.

 

Any such The request shall must be in writing and accompanied by a

 

fee of $25.00. The commission, after reviewing the record made

 

before a commissioner or a duly authorized agent of the commission,

 

may allow or refuse to allow the hearing in accordance with the

 

commission's rules. The right to a hearing provided in this

 

subsection, however, shall may not be interpreted by any a court as

 

curtailing, removing, or annulling the right of the commission to

 

suspend or revoke licenses as provided for in this act. A licensee

 

does not have a right of appeal from the final determination of the

 

commission, except by leave of the circuit court. Notice of the

 

order of suspension or revocation of a license or of the assessment

 

of a penalty, or both, shall must be given in the manner prescribed

 

by the commission. The suspension or revocation of a license or the

 

assessment of a penalty, or both, by the commission or a duly

 

authorized agent of the commission does not prohibit the

 

institution of a criminal prosecution for a violation of this act.

 

The institution of a criminal prosecution for a violation of this

 

act or the acquittal or conviction of a person for a violation of

 

this act does not prevent the suspension or revocation of a license

 

or the assessment of a penalty, or both, by the commission. In a

 

hearing for the suspension or revocation of a license issued under

 

this act, proof that the defendant licensee or an agent or employee


 

of the licensee demanded and was shown, before furnishing any

 

alcoholic liquor to a minor, a motor vehicle operator or chauffeur

 

license or a registration certificate issued by the federal

 

selective service, or other bona fide documentary evidence of

 

majority and identity of the person, may be offered as evidence in

 

a defense to a proceeding for the suspension or revocation of a

 

license issued under this act. A licensee who has reason to believe

 

that a minor has used fraudulent identification to purchase

 

alcoholic liquor in violation of section 703 shall file a police

 

report concerning the violation with a local law enforcement agency

 

and shall also present the alleged fraudulent identification to the

 

local law enforcement agency at the time of filing the report if

 

the identification is in the possession of the licensee. The

 

commission may promulgate rules pursuant to under the

 

administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to

 

24.328, regarding the utilization by licensees of equipment

 

designed to detect altered or forged driver licenses, state

 

identification cards, and other forms of identification.

 

     (3) The commission or any commissioner or duly authorized

 

agent of the commission designated by the chairperson of the

 

commission may assess a penalty and license sanctions for each

 

critical violation, on notice and proper hearing, as follows:

 

     (a) For a first violation, a fine of not less than $1,000.00

 

but not more than $2,000.00 or a license revocation or suspension

 

for between 1 and 10 days, or both.

 

     (b) For a second violation within a 24-month period, a fine of

 

not less than $2,000.00 but not more than $3,000.00 or a license


 

revocation or suspension for between 11 and 20 days, or both.

 

     (c) For a third violation within a 24-month period, a fine of

 

not less than $3,000.00 but not more than $4,000.00 or a license

 

revocation or suspension for between 21 days and 30 days, or both.

 

     (d) For a fourth or subsequent violation within a 24-month

 

period, a license revocation or suspension for 60 days.

 

     (4) The commission shall hold a hearing and order the

 

suspension or revocation of a license if the licensee has been

 

found liable for 3 or more separate violations of section 801(2),

 

which violations occurred on different occasions within a 24-month

 

period, unless such violations for the sale, furnishing, or giving

 

of alcoholic liquor to a minor were discovered by the licensee and

 

disclosed to an appropriate law enforcement agency immediately on

 

discovery. A retail licensee who sells, furnishes, or gives

 

alcoholic liquor to a minor who is less than 17 years of age in

 

violation of section 801(2) is subject to the following penalties

 

and license sanctions, on notice and proper hearing:

 

     (a) For a first violation, a fine of not less than $2,000.00

 

but not more than $3,000.00 or a license revocation or suspension

 

for between 1 and 10 days, or both.

 

     (b) For a second violation within a 24-month period, a fine of

 

not less than $3,000.00 but not more than $4,000.00 or a license

 

revocation or suspension for between 11 and 20 days, or both.

 

     (c) For a third violation within a 24-month period, a fine of

 

not less than $4,000.00 but not more than $5,000.00 or a license

 

revocation or suspension for between 21 days and 30 days, or both.

 

     (d) For a fourth or subsequent violation within a 24-month


 

period, a license revocation or suspension for 60 days.

 

     (5) (3) In addition to the hearing commissioners provided for

 

in section 209, the chairperson of the commission may designate not

 

more than 2 duly authorized agents to hear violation cases. A

 

person appointed under this subsection shall must be a member in

 

good standing of the state bar of Michigan.

 

     (6) (4) A duly authorized agent who has been designated by the

 

chairperson pursuant to under subsection (3) shall have, (5) has,

 

in the hearing of violation cases, the same authority and

 

responsibility as does a hearing commissioner under this act and

 

the rules promulgated under this act.

 

     (7) (5) A duly authorized agent who has been designated by the

 

chairperson pursuant to under subsection (3) shall be (5) is

 

ineligible for appointment to the commission for a period of 1 year

 

after the person ceases to serve as a duly authorized agent.

 

     (8) In addition to the penalty and licensing sanctions

 

provided in subsections (1), (3), and (4), for any violation of

 

this act or rules promulgated under this act the commission may

 

order the licensee to reimburse a local unit of government for any

 

expenses or costs that are attributable to that violation. The

 

amount ordered to be paid under this subsection must be paid to the

 

commission, who shall transmit the appropriate amount to the

 

appropriate local unit of government.

 

     (9) As used in this section, "critical violation" means a

 

violation of section 203, 217(2), 801(2), 901(1), 916(1), (2), or

 

(3), 1114(2), or 1115(1) or a violation of R 436.1011(1), (2), or

 

(4), R 436.1031(1), or R 436.1527 of the Michigan administrative


 

code.