2019 Rhode Island General Laws
Title 3 - Alcoholic Beverages
Chapter 3-5 Licenses Generally
Section 3-5-21 Revocation or suspension of licenses - Fines for violating conditions of license.
§ 3-5-21. Revocation or suspension of licenses - Fines for violating conditions of license.
(a) Every license is subject to revocation or suspension and a licensee is subject to fine by the board, body, or official issuing the license, or by the department or by the division of taxation, on its own motion, for:
(1) Breach by the holder of the license of the conditions on which it was issued; or
(2) Violation by the holder of the license of any rule or regulation applicable; or
(3) Any fraudulent act or "material misrepresentation" made by an applicant for a license or a licensee, including, but not limited to, any misrepresentation of information upon which the licensing board reasonably relies in rendering any decision concerning a license, licensee, or establishment; or
(4) Breach of any provisions of this chapter; or
(5) Operating in any manner inconsistent with the license, or in any manner consistent with another class license, without first coming before the board for a new license application.
(b) Any fine imposed pursuant to this section shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500) for the first offense and shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each subsequent offense. For the purposes of this section, any offense committed by a licensee three (3) years after a previous offense shall be considered a first offense.
(c) In the event that a licensee is required to hire a police detail and the police refuse to place a detail at the location because a licensee has failed to pay outstanding police detail bills or to reach a payment plan agreement with the police department, the license board may prohibit the licensee from opening its place of business until such time as the police detail bills are paid or a payment plan agreement is reached.
(d) Upon any violation by a licensee under § 3-5-21, the local licensing board, at its sole discretion, may impose a limitation on the hours of operation of the licensee, regardless of the license type, and notwithstanding any prior approval of an application for a later closing time.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1933, ch. 2013, § 12; G.L. 1938, ch. 164, § 5; P.L. 1940, ch. 814, § 8; G.L. 1956, § 3-5-21; P.L. 1985, ch. 393, § 1; 1988, ch. 202, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 100, art. 36, § 7; P.L. 2011, ch. 200, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 309, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 384, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 402, § 1; P.L. 2017, ch. 451, § 2.)