Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide that retail liquor by the drink licenses issued on or after July 1, 2023, may not be sold, leased, or transferred and to provide that retail liquor by the drink licenses issued before July 1, 2023, may be sold or transferred only once.

Idaho utilizes a population-based method to regulate the density of retail liquor-by-the-drink licenses. This system has come to be known as the “quota system.” Unintentionally, this system has created a speculative market for liquor licenses. This legislation will end that speculative opportunity for licenses issued after July 1, 2023, because they will no longer have that transfer option. Realizing that current quota license holders may have a significant investment in their license, the bill will allow current quota licensees to sell their license one time. Thereafter, those licenses will also be non-transferable. Through attrition we can correct this flaw in the current licensing model. .