The Florida Senate

561.29  Revocation and suspension of license; power to subpoena.--

(1)  The division is given full power and authority to revoke or suspend the license of any person holding a license under the Beverage Law, when it is determined or found by the division upon sufficient cause appearing of:

(a)  Violation by the licensee or his or her or its agents, officers, servants, or employees, on the licensed premises, or elsewhere while in the scope of employment, of any of the laws of this state or of the United States, or violation of any municipal or county regulation in regard to the hours of sale, service, or consumption of alcoholic beverages or license requirements of special licenses issued under s. 561.20, or engaging in or permitting disorderly conduct on the licensed premises, or permitting another on the licensed premises to violate any of the laws of this state or of the United States. A conviction of the licensee or his or her or its agents, officers, servants, or employees in any criminal court of any violation as set forth in this paragraph shall not be considered in proceedings before the division for suspension or revocation of a license except as permitted by chapter 92 or the rules of evidence.

(b)  Violation by the licensee or, if a corporation, by any officers thereof, of any laws of this state or any state or territory of the United States.

(c)  Maintaining a nuisance on the licensed premises.

(d)  Maintaining licensed premises that are unsanitary or are not approved as sanitary by the Division of Hotels and Restaurants of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the county board of health, or the Department of Health, whichever has jurisdiction thereof.

(e)  Violation by the licensee, or, if a corporation, by any officer or stockholder thereof, of any rule or rules promulgated by the division in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or of any law referred to in paragraph (a), or a violation of any such rule or law by any agent, servant, or employee of the licensee on the licensed premises or in the scope of such employment.

(f)  A determination that a person who is interested directly or indirectly in the license or licensed business authorized to sell spirituous beverages is not qualified.

(g)  A determination that any person required to be qualified by the division as a condition for the issuance of the license is not qualified.

(h)  Failure by the holder of any license under s. 561.20(1) to maintain the licensed premises in an active manner in which the licensed premises are open for the bona fide sale of authorized alcoholic beverages during regular business hours of at least 6 hours a day for a period of 120 days or more during any 12-month period commencing 18 months after the acquisition of the license by the licensee, regardless of the date the license was originally issued. Every licensee must notify the division in writing of any period during which his or her license is inactive and place the physical license with the division to be held in an inactive status. The division may waive or extend the requirement of this section upon the finding of hardship, including the purchase of the license in order to transfer it to a newly constructed or remodeled location. However, during such closed period, the licensee shall make reasonable efforts toward restoring the license to active status. This paragraph shall apply to all annual license periods commencing on or after July 1, 1981, but shall not apply to licenses issued after September 30, 1988.

(i)  Failure of any licensee issued a new or transfer license after September 30, 1988, under s. 561.20(1) to maintain the licensed premises in an active manner in which the licensed premises are open for business to the public for the bona fide retail sale of authorized alcoholic beverages during regular and reasonable business hours for at least 8 hours a day for a period of 210 days or more during any 12-month period commencing 6 months after the acquisition of the license by the licensee. It is the intent of this act that for purposes of compliance with this paragraph, a licensee shall operate the licensed premises in a manner so as to maximize sales and tax revenues thereon; this includes maintaining a reasonable inventory of merchandise, including authorized alcoholic beverages, and the use of good business practices to achieve the intent of this law. Any attempt by a licensee to circumvent the intent of this law shall be grounds for revocation or suspension of the alcoholic beverage license. The division may, upon written request of the licensee, give a written waiver of this requirement for a period not to exceed 12 months in cases where the licensee demonstrates that the licensed premises has been physically destroyed through no fault of the licensee, when the licensee has suffered an incapacitating illness or injury which is likely to be prolonged, or when the licensed premises has been prohibited from making sales as a result of any action of any court of competent jurisdiction. Any waiver given pursuant to this subsection may be continued upon subsequent written request showing that substantial progress has been made toward restoring the licensed premises to a condition suitable for the resumption of sales or toward allowing for a court having jurisdiction over the premises to release said jurisdiction, or that an incapacitating illness or injury continues to exist. However, in no event may the waivers necessitated by any one occurrence cumulatively total more than 24 months. Every licensee shall notify the division in writing of any period during which his or her license is inactive and place the physical license with the division to be held in an inactive status.

(j)  Failure of any licensee issued a license under s. 561.20(1) to maintain records of all monthly sales and all monthly purchases of alcoholic beverages and to produce such records for inspection by any division employee within 10 days of written request therefor.

(2)  The division, or any employee designated by it, shall have the power and authority to examine into the business, books, records, and accounts of any licensee, to issue subpoenas to said licensee or any other person from whom information is desired, and to take depositions of witnesses within or without of the state. The division, or any employee designated by it, may administer oaths and issue subpoenas. The provisions of the civil law of the state in relation to enforcing obedience to a subpoena lawfully issued by a judge or other person duly authorized to issue subpoenas under the laws of the state, to issue subpoenas in civil cases, shall apply to a subpoena issued by the division, or any employee designated by it, as authorized in this section, and may be enforced by writ of attachment to be issued by the division, or any employee designated by it, for such witness to compel him or her to attend before the division, or any employee designated by it, and give his or her testimony and to bring and produce such books, papers, and documents as may be required for examination; and the division, or any employee designated by it, may punish any willful refusal to so appear or give testimony by citation of any witness before the circuit court who shall punish such witness for contempt as in cases of refusal to obey the orders and process of the circuit court. The division may in such cases pay such attendance and mileage fees as are permitted to be paid to witnesses in civil cases appearing before the circuit court.

(3)  The division may impose a civil penalty against a licensee for any violation mentioned in the Beverage Law, or any rule issued pursuant thereto, not to exceed $1,000 for violations arising out of a single transaction. If the licensee fails to pay the civil penalty, his or her license shall be suspended for such period of time as the division may specify. The funds so collected as civil penalties shall be deposited in the state General Revenue Fund.

(4)  The division may compromise any alleged violations of the Beverage Law, by accepting from the licensee involved an amount not to exceed $1,000 for violations arising out of a single transaction. All funds so collected are to be deposited in the state General Revenue Fund.

(5)  The division may suspend the imposition of any penalty conditioned upon terms the division should in its discretion deem appropriate.

History.--s. 1, ch. 16774, 1935; CGL 1936 Supp. 4151(227); s. 1A, ch. 19301, 1939; s. 4, ch. 21839, 1943; s. 7, ch. 22663, 1945; s. 3, ch. 23746, 1947; s. 5, ch. 29786, 1955; s. 23, ch. 57-420; s. 5, ch. 61-219; s. 1, ch. 61-397; ss. 16, 19, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 69-267; s. 207, ch. 71-377; s. 1, ch. 72-230; s. 460, ch. 77-147; s. 4, ch. 77-471; s. 9, ch. 78-95; s. 29, ch. 79-4; s. 17, ch. 79-11; s. 8, ch. 81-158; s. 3, ch. 81-166; s. 4, ch. 88-308; s. 2, ch. 89-309; s. 216, ch. 94-218; s. 8, ch. 95-346; s. 845, ch. 97-103; s. 253, ch. 99-8.