A 4666

[Third Reprint]
ASSEMBLY, No. 4666
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 10, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman� CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman� MAUREEN ROWAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman� CODY D. MILLER
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Morales, Haider, Bagolie, Collazos-Gill,
Murphy, Assemblyman Walker, Assemblywomen Brennan and Lopez
SYNOPSIS
���� Permits certain for-profit movie theaters to sell
alcoholic beverages under specified conditions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As reported by the Assembly Appropriations Committee
on June 23, 2026, with amendments.
��
An Act concerning alcoholic beverage licenses and
supplementing Title 33 of the Revised Statutes.
���� Be It
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
����� 3[1.� �a.� The
governing board or body of any municipality, upon the approval of the Director
of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, may issue a plenary retail
consumption license to a for-profit entity that regularly operates a motion
picture exhibition facility 1[, primarily
for the showing of first-run motion pictures,]1
for which admission is charged.
���� b.��� A license issued
pursuant to this section shall be used only in connection with a 1[premises that
is primarily used for the showing of first-run motion pictures] qualifying
motion picture exhibition facility as defined in subsection h. of this section1.
���� c.���� The license shall
authorize the sale of alcoholic beverages by the for-profit entity who has been
approved pursuant to procedures established by the Division of Alcoholic
Beverage Control for consumption on the licensed premises:
���� (1)�� during the two hours
immediately preceding the showing of first-run motion pictures; and
���� (2)�� during 1[the showing of
first-run motion pictures]
scheduled motion picture exhibitions conducted at the licensed
premises in connection with the operation of the qualifying motion picture
exhibition facility1.
���� d.��� Application for the
initial issuance and renewal of each license shall be made to the municipal
governing 2board
or2
body on an annual basis.� Except as provided in subsection e. of this section,
the fee for the initial issuance of the license shall be 1[at least]1
$210,000.� One-third of the initial issuance fee for the license shall be paid
upon the issuance of the license, one-third of the fee shall be paid nine
months from the date of the issuance of the license, and one-third of the fee
shall be paid 18 months from the date of the issuance of the license.�
���� e.���� If 10 percent of the
alcoholic beverages sold by a motion picture exhibition facility are produced
by holders of a limited brewery license, restricted brewery license, farm
brewery license, plenary winery license, farm winery license, cidery and
meadery license, craft distillery license, or historic distillery license
pursuant to R.S.33:1-10, 2a governing board or body of a municipality and a
motion picture exhibition facility may negotiate2 the fee for the initial issuance of a license
issued pursuant to this section 2[shall be
$150,000] , provided that the fee shall not exceed
$210,0002.
���� f.���� A license issued
pursuant to this section shall 1[not be
transferred for use in connection with any premises other than a premises that
is operated as a motion picture exhibition facility located within the same
location or any adjacent premises operated by the licensee] remain
appurtenant to the qualifying motion picture exhibition facility for which it
is issued and shall not be transferred, assigned, sold, pledged, or otherwise
used in connection with any other premises or business operation.� The license
may be used only in connection with the qualifying motion picture exhibition
facility operated by the licensee.� Upon permanent cessation of qualifying
motion picture exhibition operations at the licensed premises, the license
shall immediately expire1.
���� g.��� A license issued under
the provisions of this section shall not be counted in determining the number
of licenses under P.L.1947, c.94 (C.33:1-12.13 et seq.) or under P.L.1968,
c.277 (C.40:48-2.40 et seq.).�
���� h.��� For the purposes of this
section:
���� �First-run motion picture�
means an audiovisual work consisting of a series of related images that, when
shown in succession, impart an impression of motion, together with accompanying
sounds, if any, that is 1[exclusively
and]1
newly released for 1commercial1
theatrical exhibition 1[, and is shown
in a movie picture exhibition facility during its initial exhibition period] to the
general public and exhibited during its initial commercial release period1.
���� �For-profit entity� means any
corporation, company, partnership, sole proprietorship, person or entity owning
10 percent or more of the shares thereof.
���� �Licensed premises� means a 1[premises where
a first-run motion picture is exhibited and any adjacent premises owned and
operated by the licensee]
qualifying motion picture exhibition facility1.
���� �Motion picture exhibition
facility� means a 1permanently
located commercial1
movie theater 1[, screening
room, or other venue that is being used primarily for] or similar fixed exhibition
venue primarily engaged in1
the exhibition of 1[a]1
first-run motion 1[picture, if
the exhibition is open to the public or is made to an assembled group of
viewers outside of a normal circle of a family and its social acquaintances] pictures
to the general public for paid admission1.]3
���� 31.�� a.�
The governing board or body of any municipality, upon the approval of the
Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, may issue a plenary
retail consumption license to a for-profit entity that regularly operates a
motion picture exhibition facility for which admission is charged.
���� b.��� A license issued
pursuant to this section shall be used only in connection with a qualifying
motion picture exhibition facility as defined in subsection g. of this section.
����� c.���� The license
shall authorize the sale of alcoholic beverages by the for-profit entity
approved pursuant to procedures established by the Division of Alcoholic
Beverage Control, for consumption on the licensed premises to patrons during
the hour immediately preceding and during a scheduled motion picture showing
conducted on the licensed premises.
���� d.��� Application for the
initial issuance and renewal of each license shall be made to the municipal
governing board or body on an annual basis.� The fee for the initial issuance
of the license shall not exceed the average sale price of the three most recent
plenary retail consumption license transfers, assignments, sales, or pledges in
the municipality where the license is being issued during the preceding five
years, or $250,000, whichever is the lesser amount.� If the motion picture
exhibition facility is located within the boundaries of two or more
municipalities, the fee for the initial issuance of the license shall not
exceed the highest average sale price of a plenary retail consumption license
issued within the two or more municipalities within the last five years, or
$250,000, whichever is the lesser amount.� If less than three plenary retail
consumption licenses have been transferred, assigned, sold, or pledged in the
municipality or municipalities, as the case may be, within the previous five
years, the fee for the initial issuance of the license shall not exceed
$250,000.� One-third of the initial issuance fee for the license shall be paid
upon the issuance of the license, one-third of the fee shall be paid nine
months after the date of the issuance of the license, and one-third of the fee
shall be paid 18 months after the date of the issuance of the license.� The fee
for the initial issuance of the license shall be paid to the municipality in
which the license is issued.
���� e.���� A license issued
pursuant to this section shall remain appurtenant to the qualifying motion
picture exhibition facility for which it is issued and shall not be
transferred, assigned, sold, pledged, or otherwise used in connection with any
other premises or business operation.� The license may be used only in
connection with the qualifying motion picture exhibition facility operated by
the licensee.� Upon permanent cessation of qualifying motion picture exhibition
operations at the licensed premises, the license shall immediately expire.
���� f.���� A license issued
under the provisions of this section shall not be counted in determining the
number of licenses under P.L.1947, c.94 (C.33:1-12.13 et seq.) or under
P.L.1968, c.277 (C.40:48-2.40 et seq.).
���� g.��� For the purposes of
this section:
���� �First-run motion picture�
means an audiovisual work consisting of a series of related images that, when
shown in succession, impart an impression of motion, together with accompanying
sounds, if any, that is newly released for commercial theatrical exhibition to
the general public and exhibited during its initial commercial release period.
����� �For-profit entity�
means any corporation, company, partnership, sole proprietorship, person or
entity owning 10 percent or more of the shares thereof.
���� �Licensed premises�
means a qualifying motion picture exhibition facility.
���� �Motion picture exhibition
facility� means a permanently located commercial movie theater or similar fixed
exhibition venue primarily engaged in the exhibition of first-run motion
pictures to the general public for paid admission.3
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of
enactment.