AB-828 • 2026

Alcoholic beverage control: neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Mark González
Last action: 2025-10-13
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 715, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Alcoholic Beverage Control: New Licenses in LA

This law allows the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to issue up to 12 new special licenses each year for restaurants in certain areas of Los Angeles County, with limits on how these licenses can be transferred.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to give out no more than 12 new special licenses per year to restaurants in specific parts of Los Angeles County starting January 1, 2026.
Limits the total number of new licenses that can be given to 40 over time.
Prohibits selling or transferring these new licenses for more money than what was originally paid by the restaurant.
Gives the Department power to make rules about how to enforce this law.

Who It Names or Affects

Restaurants in certain areas of Los Angeles County
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Terms To Know

neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses: Special permits that allow restaurants to sell alcohol, but only within specific neighborhoods.
bona fide public eating places: Restaurants or dining establishments that are open to the public and serve food.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify what happens after all 40 licenses have been issued.
It is unclear how these new rules will affect existing restaurants in Los Angeles County.

Bill History

2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 715, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-13 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-16 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3111.).
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-08 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2621.).
2025-09-03 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
2025-08-20 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-19 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
2025-06-25 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 24).
2025-05-28 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-05-20 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 1604.)
2025-05-15 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 22. Noes 0.) (April 23).
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-04-11 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on G.O. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 828, Mark González.
Alcoholic beverage control: neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, administered by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, regulates the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages and the granting of licenses for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages within the state for which various fees are charged depending upon the type of license issued. The act provides for a limitation on the amount of on-sale general licenses that may be issued by the department based on the population of the county in which the licensed premises are located, as provided.
This bill would authorize the department to issue no more than 12 new original neighborhood-restricted special on-sale general licenses to bona fide public eating places located in specified census tracts in the County of Los Angeles per year beginning on January 1, 2026, until a total of 40 new
licenses have been issued, as specified. The bill would impose various prohibitions pertaining to the transfer of new licenses, including, among others, a prohibition on selling or transferring the new licenses for a price greater than the original fee paid by the seller or transferor. The bill would authorize the department to adopt rules and regulations to enforce these provisions.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Los Angeles.

Current Bill Text

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