Chapter 110: Alcoholic Beverages
§ 110.01 Definitions.
For purposes of this chapter, the definitions found in Neb. RS 53-103.01 through 53-103.42 shall be used.
§ 110.02 Sale or Gift To Minor or Mentally Incompetent Person Prohibited.
No person shall sell, furnish, give away, dispose of, exchange, or deliver, or permit the sale, gift, or procuring of any alcoholic liquors, to or for any minor or to any person who is mentally incompetent.
(Neb. RS 17-135; Neb. RS 53-180)
§ 110.03 Consumption In Public Places or Places Open To The Public; Restrictions.
(A) Except when the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission has issued a license as provided in Neb. RS 53-186(2) or as provided in Neb. RS 60-6,211.08, it is unlawful for any person to consume alcoholic liquor upon property owned or controlled by the state or any governmental subdivision thereof unless authorized by the governing bodies having jurisdiction over such property.
(B) It is unlawful for any person owning, operating, managing, or conducting any dance hall, restaurant, café, or club or any place open to the general public to permit or allow any person to consume alcoholic liquor upon the premises except as permitted by a license issued for such premises pursuant to the Nebraska Liquor Control Act. It is unlawful for any person to consume alcoholic liquor in any dance hall, restaurant, café, or club or any place open to the general public except as permitted by a license issued for such premises pursuant to the Act. This division does not apply to a retail licensee while lawfully engaged in the catering of alcoholic beverages or to limousines or buses operated under Neb. RS 60-6,211.08.
(Neb. RS 53-186; Ord. 887)
§ 110.04 Removal of Intoxicated Persons From Public or Quasi-Public Property.
(A) Any law enforcement officer with the power to arrest for traffic violations may take a person who is intoxicated and in the judgment of the officer dangerous to himself, herself, or others, or who is otherwise incapacitated, from any public or quasi-public property. An officer removing an intoxicated person from public or quasi-public property shall make a reasonable effort to take the intoxicated person to his or her home or to place the person in any hospital, clinic, or mental health substance use treatment center, or with a medical doctor as may be necessary to preserve life or to prevent injury. The effort at placement shall be deemed reasonable if the officer contacts such facilities or doctor which have previously represented a willingness to accept and treat such individuals and which regularly do accept such individuals. If these efforts are unsuccessful or are not feasible, the officer may then place the intoxicated person in civil protective custody, except that civil protective custody shall be used only as long as is necessary to preserve life or to prevent injury, and under no circumstances longer than 24 hours.
(B) The placement of the person in civil protective custody shall be recorded at the facility or jail at which he or she is delivered and communicated to his or her family or next of kin, if they can be located, or to the person designated by the person taken into civil protective custody.
(C) The law enforcement officer who acts in compliance with this section shall be deemed to be acting in the course of his or her official duty and shall not be criminally or civilly liable for these actions.
(D) The taking of an individual into civil protective custody under this section shall not be considered an arrest. No entry or other record shall be made to indicate that the person has been arrested or charged with a crime.
(E) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
Mental Health Substance Use Treatment Center. Has the same meaning as in Neb. RS 71-423.
Public Property. Any public right-of-way, street, highway, alley, park, or other state, county, or city-owned property.
Quasi-Public Property. Private or publicly owned property utilized for proprietary or business uses which invites patronage by the public or which invites public ingress and egress.
(Neb. RS 53-1,121; Ord. 914)
§ 110.20 Manufacture, Sale, Delivery, and Possession; General Prohibitions; Exceptions.
(A) No person shall manufacture, bottle, blend, sell, barter, transport, deliver, furnish, or possess any alcoholic liquor for beverage purposes except as specifically provided in this chapter and the Nebraska Liquor Control Act.
(B) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent:
(Neb. RS 53-168.06)
§ 110.21 Acquisition and Possession; Restrictions.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any person to purchase, receive, acquire, accept, or possess any alcoholic liquor acquired from any other person other than one duly licensed to handle alcoholic liquor under this chapter and the Nebraska Liquor Control Act unless within specific exemptions or exceptions provided in this chapter or the Act.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport, import, bring, ship, or cause to be transported, imported, brought, or shipped into this state for the personal use of the possessor, his or her family, or guests a quantity of alcoholic liquor in excess of nine liters in any one calendar month.
(Neb. RS 53-175; Neb. RS 53-194.03)
§ 110.22 Licensee Requirements.
(A) No license shall be issued to:
(a) The licensed business will be the sole property of the applicant; and
(b) The licensed premises will be properly operated.
(B) When a trustee is the licensee, the beneficiary or beneficiaries of the trust shall comply with the requirements of this section, but nothing in this section shall prohibit any such beneficiary from being a minor or person who is mentally incompetent.
(Neb. RS 53-125)
§ 110.23 Licenses; City Powers and Duties.
(A) The City Council is authorized to regulate by ordinance, not inconsistent with the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, the business of all retail, bottle club, craft brewery, and microdistillery licensees carried on within the corporate limits of the city.
(B) During the period of 45 days after the date of receipt by mail or electronic delivery from the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission notice and a copy of an application for a new license to sell alcoholic liquor at retail, a craft brewery license, or a microdistillery license, the City Council may make and submit to the Commission recommendations relative to the granting or refusal to grant the license to the applicant.
(C) The City Council, with respect to licenses within the corporate limits of the city, has the following powers, functions, and duties with respect to retail, bottle club, craft brewery, and microdistillery licenses:
(a) Within 30 days after determining that such violation has occurred;
(b) Within 30 days after the conclusion of an ongoing police investigation; or
(c) Within 30 days after the verdict in a prosecution related to such an ongoing police investigation if the prosecuting attorney determines that reporting such violation prior to the verdict would jeopardize such prosecution, whichever is later;
(D) (1) When the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission mails or delivers to the City Clerk a retail, craft brewery, or microdistillery license issued or renewed by the Commission, the Clerk shall deliver the license to the licensee upon receipt from the licensee of proof of payment of:
(a) The license fee if by the terms of Neb. RS 53-124 the fee is payable to the City Treasurer;
(b) Any fee for publication of notice of hearing before the City Council upon the application for the license;
(c) The fee for publication of notice of renewal, if applicable, as provided in Neb. RS 53-135.01; and
(d) Occupation taxes, if any, imposed by the city, except that Class J retail licensees shall not be subject to occupation taxes.
(Neb. RS 53-131 et seq.; Ord. 886)
§ 110.24 Licensed Premises; Inspections.
The City Council shall cause frequent inspections to be made on the premises of all retail licensees and bottle club licensees. If it is found that any such licensee is violating any provision of this chapter, the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, or the rules and regulations of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, or is failing to observe in good faith the purposes of this chapter or the Act, the license may be suspended, canceled, or revoked after the licensee is given an opportunity to be heard in his or her defense.
(Neb. RS 53-116.01; Ord. 885)
§ 110.25 License Renewal; City Powers and Duties.
(A) A retail or bottle club license issued by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission and outstanding may be automatically renewed by the Commission in the absence of a written request by the City Council to require the licensee to submit an application for renewal. Any licensed retail premises located in an area which is annexed to the city shall file a formal application for a license, and while the application is pending, the licensee may continue all license privileges until the original license expires or is canceled or revoked. If that license expires within 60 days following the annexation date of the area, the license may be renewed by order of the Commission for not more than one year.
(B) The City Clerk shall cause to be published in a legal newspaper in or of general circulation in the municipality, one time between January 10 and January 30 of each year, individual notice in the form prescribed by law of the right of automatic renewal of each retail liquor and beer license and each bottle club license within the municipality, except that notice of the right of automatic renewal of Class C licenses shall be published between the dates of July 10 and July 30 of each year. If written protests to the issuance of automatic renewal of a license are filed in the office of the City Clerk by three or more residents of the municipality on or before February 10, or August 10 for Class C licenses, the City Council shall hold a hearing to determine whether continuation of the license should be allowed. Upon the conclusion of any hearing required by this section, the City Council may request a license to submit an application as provided in Neb. RS 53-135.
(Neb. RS 53-135.01; Ord. 889)
§ 110.26 Catering Licenses.
(A) The holder of a license to sell alcoholic liquor at retail issued under Neb. RS 53-124, a craft brewery license, a microdistillery license, or a farm winery license may obtain an annual catering license by filing an application and license fee with the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission.
(B) Upon receipt from the Commission of the notice and a copy of the application as provided in Neb. RS 53-124.12, the City Council shall process the application in the same manner as provided in § 110.23.
(C) The City Council, with respect to catering licensees within its corporate limits, may cancel a catering license for cause for the remainder of the period for which that catering license is issued. Any person whose catering license is canceled may appeal to the District Court.
(D) The City Council may impose an occupation tax on the business of a catering licensee doing business within the liquor license jurisdiction of the City Council. The tax may not exceed double the license fee for a catering license.
(Neb. RS 53-124.12)
§ 110.27 Display of License.
Every licensee under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act shall cause his or her license to be framed and hung in plain view in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises.
(Neb. RS 53-148)
§ 110.28 Owner of Premises or Agent; Liability.
If the owner of the licensed premises or any person from whom the licensee derives the right to possession of the premises, or the agent of that owner or person, knowingly permits the licensee to use the licensed premises in violation of the terms of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act or any city ordinance, that owner, agent, or other person shall be deemed guilty of a violation of the Act or ordinance to the same extent as the licensee and be subject to the same punishment.
(Neb. RS 53-1,101)
§ 110.29 Licensee; Liability For Acts of Officer, Agent, or Employee.
Every act or omission of whatsoever nature constituting a violation of any of the provisions of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act or any city ordinance by any officer, director, manager, or other agent or employee of any licensee, if the act is committed or omission is made with the authorization, knowledge, or approval of the licensee, shall be deemed and held to be the act of the employer or licensee, and the employer or licensee shall be punishable in the same manner as if the act or omission had been done or omitted by the licensee personally.
(Neb. RS 53-1,102)
§ 110.30 Alcoholic Beverages; Citizen Complaints.
Any five residents of the city shall have the right to file a complaint with the City Council stating that any retail licensee or bottle club licensee subject to the jurisdiction of the City Council has been or is violating any provision of the Nebraska Liquor Control Act or the rules or regulations issued pursuant to the Act. The complaint shall be in writing in the form prescribed by the City Council and shall be signed and sworn to by the parties complaining. The complaint shall state the particular provision, rule, or regulation believed to have been violated and the facts in detail upon which belief is based. If the City Council is satisfied that the complaint substantially charges a violation and that from the facts alleged there is reasonable cause for that belief, it shall set the matter for hearing within ten days from the date of the filing of the complaint and shall serve notice upon the licensee of the time and place of the hearing and of the particular charge in the complaint. The complaint shall in all cases be disposed of by the City Council within 30 days from the date the complaint was filed by resolution thereof, which resolution shall be deemed the final order for purposes of appeal to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission as provided in Neb. RS 53-1,115.
(Neb. RS 53-134.04; Ord. 888)
§ 110.45 Location Restrictions.
(A) Except as otherwise provided in division (B) of this section, no license shall be issued for the sale at retail of any alcoholic liquor or for a bottle club within 150 feet of any church, school, hospital, or home for indigent persons or for veterans and their wives or children. This prohibition does not apply to any location within such distance of 150 feet:
(B) If a proposed location for the sale at retail of any alcoholic liquor or for a bottle club is within 150 feet of any church, a license may be issued if the Commission gives notice to the affected church and holds a hearing as prescribed in Neb. RS 53-133 if the affected church submits a written request for a hearing.
(C) Unless otherwise exempted by Neb. RS 177.01, no alcoholic liquor, other than beer, shall be sold for consumption on the premises within 300 feet from the campus of any college or university within the village, and no bottle club shall be operated within 300 feet from the campus of any college, except that this section:
(Neb. RS 53-177; Ord. 890)
§ 110.46 Access To Dwellings.
Except in the case of hotels and clubs, no alcoholic liquor shall be sold at retail upon any premises which have any access which leads from the premises to any other portion of the same building or structure used for dwelling or lodging purposes, and which is permitted to be used or kept accessible for use by the public. This provision shall not prevent any connection between the premises and such other portion of the building or structure which is used only by the licensee, his or her family, or personal guests.
(Neb. RS 53-178)
§ 110.47 Sanitary Conditions.
It shall be unlawful to open for public use any retail liquor establishment that is not in a clean and sanitary condition. Toilet facilities shall be adequate and convenient for customers and patrons. The licensed premises shall be subject to any health inspections the City Council or the city police may make or cause to be made. All applications for liquor licenses shall be viewed in part from the standpoint of the sanitary conditions, and a report concerning the sanitary conditions shall be made at all hearings concerning the application for or renewal of a liquor license.
§ 110.48 Alcoholic Beverages; Hours of Sale.
(A) It shall be unlawful for any licensed person or persons or their agents to sell any alcoholic beverages within the municipality except during the hours provided herein:
| HOURS OF SALE | |
|---|---|
| Alcohol Liquors (except beer and wine) | |
| Secular Days | |
| Off Sale 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. | |
| On Sale 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. | |
| Sundays | |
| Off Sale 12:00 Noon to 1:00 a.m. | |
| On Sale 12:00 Noon to 1:00 a.m. | |
| Beer and Wine | |
| Secular Days | |
| Off Sale 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. | |
| On Sale 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. | |
| Sundays | |
| Off Sale 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. | |
| On Sale 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. | |
(B) It shall be unlawful on property licensed to sell alcoholic liquor at retail, to allow alcoholic liquor in open containers to remain or be in possession or control of any person for purposes of consumption between the hours of fifteen (15) minutes after the closing hour applicable to the licensed premises and 6:00 a.m. on any day. For the purposes of this section, “on sale” shall be defined as alcoholic beverages sold at retail by the drink for consumption on the premises of the licensed establishment. “Off sale” shall be defined as alcoholic beverages sold at retail in the original container for consumption off the premises of the licensed establishment.
(C) No provision herein shall be construed to prohibit licensed premises from being open for other business on days and hours during which the sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by this section.
(Neb. RS 53-179; Ord. 963)
§ 110.49 Credit Sales Prohibited.
(A) No person shall sell or furnish alcoholic liquor at retail to any person on credit, on a passbook, on an order on a store, in exchange for any goods, wares, or merchandise, or in payment for any services rendered, and if any person extends credit for any such purpose, the debt thereby attempted to be created shall not be recoverable at law.
(B) Nothing in this section shall prevent the following:
(Neb. RS 53-183)
§ 110.50 Original Package Required.
No person, except a manufacturer or wholesaler, shall fill or refill, in whole or in part, any original package of alcoholic liquor with the same or any other kind or quality of alcoholic liquor. It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession for sale at retail any bottles, casks, or other containers containing alcoholic liquor except in original packages. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the refilling of original packages of alcoholic liquor for strictly private use and not for resale.
(Neb. RS 53-184)
§ 110.51 Minor’s Presence Restricted.
It shall be unlawful for any person who owns, manages, or leases an establishment selling alcoholic beverages at retail to allow any minor under the age of 18 years of age to frequent or otherwise remain in the establishment unless the minor is accompanied by his or her parent or legal guardian, and unless the minor remains seated with and under the immediate control of the parent or legal guardian.
§ 110.52 Keg Sales; Requirements; Prohibited Acts.
(A) When any person licensed to sell alcoholic liquor at retail sells beer for consumption off the premises in a container with a liquid capacity of five or more gallons or 18.92 or more liters, the seller shall record the date of the sale, the keg identification number, the purchaser’s name and address, and the number of the purchaser’s motor vehicle operator’s license, state identification card, or military identification, if the military identification contains a picture of the purchaser, together with the purchaser’s signature. This record shall be on a form prescribed by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission and shall be kept by the licensee at the retail establishment where the purchase was made for not less than six months. The records kept pursuant to this section shall be available for inspection by any law enforcement officer during normal business hours or at any other reasonable time. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of an offense.
(B) Any person who unlawfully tampers with, alters, or removes the keg identification number from a beer container or is in possession of a beer container described in division (A) with an altered or removed keg identification number after the container has been taken from the licensed premises pursuant to a retail sale and before its return to the licensed premises or other place where returned kegs are accepted shall be guilty of an offense.
(Neb. RS 53-167.02; Neb. RS 53-167.03)