Bringing Greater Transparency to the State Liquor Authority
In October 2019, the Governor signed my bill, Assembly Bill 4315 which I cosponsored with Senator Brad Hoylman (S55), that requires the New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) to create and maintain a public database of information that is specific to on-premise liquor licenses. Much of this information is already in digital format as it has been standard practice at SLA to maintain digital copies. This new law ensures that SLA will make such information readily available online so that any member of the public can easily ascertain specific information about a bar or restaurant. Historically, members of the public, or members of the local community boards, have been forced to submit a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request in order to gain information about a premise’s stipulations that were passed in the SLA Full Board. This information is important for neighborhood residents and local police to ensure that bars and restaurants are complying with their stipulations. We hope that with more readily available information the community will have greater awareness of the stipulations governing the bars and restaurants that residents typically live above.