Jul. 03, 2019
HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jack Rader (R-Monroe) that would allow for the transfer of state restaurant liquor licenses from a county that is saturated with licenses that aren’t being used to a county where they are needed, was signed by Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday.
“I am grateful to the Senate for moving quickly on my legislation and thank the governor for signing it into law.” said Rader. “This measure will have a significant economic impact in the 176th Legislative District, where the future of a major development project was dependent on the bill’s enactment.”
Act 57 of 2019 allows the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to transfer up to 75 restaurant liquor licenses that it holds from counties with a surplus of them to counties where they are needed for tourism development projects. The applicant would pay a $1 million fee plus $65,000 for each license.
Rader noted that the developer of the Pocono Springs project in Tobyhanna Township requires additional restaurant liquor licenses to help ensure its success. Those licenses will now become available under Act 57. Pocono Springs is expected to create 6,000 construction jobs and 1,200 permanent positions, in addition to attracting 5 million visitors annually to the region.
The new law specifies that the licenses can only be used in the Pocono Springs development’s 90-acre designated area and no liquor can be taken off the premises. In addition, these licenses can never be transferred to any other part of Monroe County.
Representative Jack Rader
176th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andy Briggs
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