PPA Hosting State Rep. O’Neal To Review Expansion Of C-Store Beer Licensing

As the result of many conversations with many PPA members, the Association has been engaged in crafting a legislative proposal that would address the inherent unfairness to smaller convenience store operators in the current beer licensing system in Pennsylvania.

The existing requirement of a prospective facility license to have thirty seats in place for customers is not possible for many stores because of the space available in those locations.

The need to also purchase an existing restaurant license– to then convert to a beer license– can run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This is insurmountable for most smaller operators.

Many in the industry feel this system is patently unfair because it allows some in the marketplace to offer beer to customers, and many others not, creating an artificial unfair playing field on the street.

At the Motor Fuel and Convenience Store Committee meeting on October 13 at Bedford Springs, Rep. Tim O Neal (R-Washington County) will be part of a discussion in regard to his interest in addressing this fairness issue.

PPA strongly encourages all members of the Association with an interest in this matter to attend in-person or by Zoom to participate in this discussion.

The committee meeting will be taking place from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.  Members may attend the meeting virtually by using the following Zoom registration link.

PPA is aware that some companies have gone through the arduous process to obtain a beer license under the current requirements for perhaps a portion of their operation.

There are many observers who have also pointed out that if a change is not made in current law that as time goes on it will erode the economic viability of the small independent convenience store network that makes up the customer base of many motor fuel distributors in the state and for that reason should be fixed.

PPA requests and strongly urges attendance at the October 13 meeting.

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