The following are the grounds that constitute a basis for the suspension or revocation of licenses:

(a) When the continuance of a license would be contrary to public welfare or morals. However, proceedings under this subdivision are not a limitation upon the department’s authority to proceed under § 22 of Article XX of the California Constitution.

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Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 24200

  • board: means any entity listed in Section 101, the entities referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600, the State Bar, the Department of Real Estate, and any other state agency that issues a license, certificate, or registration authorizing a person to engage in a business or profession. See California Business and Professions Code 31
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
  • Licensee: means any person authorized by a license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Sections 1000 and 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.8
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Business and Professions Code 21
  • Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs, unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Business and Professions Code 15
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.

(b) Except as limited by Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 25000), the violation or the causing or permitting of a violation by a licensee of this division, any rules of the board adopted pursuant to Part 14 (commencing with Section 32001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, any rules of the department adopted pursuant to the provisions of this division, or any other penal provisions of law of this state prohibiting or regulating the sale, exposing for sale, use, possession, giving away, adulteration, dilution, misbranding, or mislabeling of alcoholic beverages or intoxicating liquors.

(c) The misrepresentation of a material fact by an applicant in obtaining a license.

(d) The plea, verdict, or judgment of guilty, or the plea of nolo contendere to any public offense involving moral turpitude or under any federal law prohibiting or regulating the sale, exposing for sale, use, possession, or giving away of alcoholic beverages or intoxicating liquors or prohibiting the refilling or reuse of distilled spirits containers charged against the licensee.

(e) Failure to take reasonable steps to correct objectionable conditions on the licensed premises, including the immediately adjacent area that is owned, leased, or rented by the licensee, that constitute a nuisance, within a reasonable time after receipt of notice to make those corrections from the department, under Section 373a of the Penal Code. For the purpose of this subdivision only, “property or premises” as used in Section 373a of the Penal Code includes the area immediately adjacent to the licensed premises that is owned, leased, or rented by the licensee.

(f) Failure to take reasonable steps to correct objectionable conditions that occur during business hours on any public sidewalk abutting a licensed premises and constitute a nuisance, within a reasonable time after receipt of notice to correct those conditions from the department. This subdivision shall apply to a licensee only upon written notice to the licensee from the department. The department shall issue this written notice upon its own determination, or upon a request from the local law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the premises are located, that is supported by substantial evidence that persistent objectionable conditions are occurring on the public sidewalk abutting the licensed premises. For purposes of this subdivision:

(1) “Any public sidewalk abutting a licensed premises” means the publicly owned, pedestrian-traveled way, not more than 20 feet from the premises, that is located between a licensed premises, including any immediately adjacent area that is owned, leased, or rented by the licensee, and a public street.

(2) “Objectionable conditions that constitute a nuisance” means disturbance of the peace, public drunkenness, drinking in public, harassment of passersby, gambling, prostitution, loitering, public urination, lewd conduct, drug trafficking, or excessive loud noise.

(3) “Reasonable steps” means all of the following:

(A) Calling the local law enforcement agency. Timely calls to the local law enforcement agency that are placed by the licensee, or his or her agents or employees, shall not be construed by the department as evidence of objectionable conditions that constitute a nuisance.

(B) Requesting those persons engaging in activities causing objectionable conditions to cease those activities, unless the licensee, or his or her agents or employees, feel that their personal safety would be threatened in making that request.

(C) Making good faith efforts to remove items that facilitate loitering, such as furniture, except those structures approved or permitted by the local jurisdiction. The licensee shall not be liable for the removal of those items that facilitate loitering.

(4) When determining what constitutes “reasonable steps,” the department shall consider site configuration constraints related to the unique circumstances of the nature of the business.

(g) Subdivision (f) does not apply to a bona fide public eating place, as defined in Section 23038, 23038.1, or 23038.2, that is so operated by a retail on-sale licensee or on-sale beer and wine licensee; a hotel, motel, or similar lodging establishment, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 25503.16; a winegrowers license; a licensed beer manufacturer, as defined in Section 23357; those same or contiguous premises for which a retail licensee concurrently holds an off-sale retail beer and wine license and a beer manufacturer’s license; or those same or contiguous premises at which a retail on-sale licensee or on-sale beer and wine licensee who is licensed as a bona fide public eating place as defined in Section 23038, 23038.1, or 23038.2, a hotel, motel, or similar lodging establishment as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 25503.16, a licensed beer manufacturer, as defined in Section 23357, or a winegrowers license, sells off-sale beer and wine under the licensee’s on-sale license.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 625, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2007.)