The department may issue a license under subarticle 1 of this article upon finding:

1. (1) The applicant is a bona fide nonprofit organization, a homeowners association chartered as a nonprofit organization by the Secretary of State, or the applicant conducts a business bona fide engaged primarily and substantially in the preparation and serving of meals or furnishing of lodging.
2. (2) The applicant, if an individual, is of good moral character or, if a corporation or association, has a reputation for peace and good order in its community, and its principals are of good moral character.
3. (3) As to business establishments or locations established after June 20, 1967, Section 61-6-120 has been complied with.

4. (4) Notice of application has appeared at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper most likely to give notice to interested citizens of the county, municipality, or community in which the applicant proposes to engage in business. The department shall determine which newspapers meet the requirements of this section based on available circulation figures. However, if a newspaper is published in the county and historically has been the newspaper where the advertisements are published, the advertisements published in that newspaper meet the requirements of this section. The notice must:

   1. (a) be in the legal notices section of the newspaper or an equivalent section if the newspaper has no legal notices section;
   2. (b) be in large type, covering a space of one column wide and at least two inches deep; and

   3. (c) state the type license applied for and the exact location of the proposed business.

      An applicant for a beer or wine permit and an alcoholic liquor license may use the same advertisement for both if it is approved by the department.

5. (5) Notice has been given by displaying a sign for fifteen days at the site of the proposed business. The sign must:

   1. (a) state the type of license sought;
   2. (b) state where an interested person may protest the application;
   3. (c) be in bold type;
   4. (d) cover a space at least twelve inches high and eighteen inches wide;
   5. (e) be posted and removed by an agent of the division.
6. (6) The applicant is twenty-one years of age or older.
7. (7) The applicant is a legal resident of the United States, has been a resident of this State for at least thirty days before the date of application, and has maintained his principal place of abode in this State for at least thirty days before the date of application.

8. (8) The applicant has not been convicted of a felony within ten years of the date of application.

   Upon the written request of a person who resides in the county where the license is requested to be issued, the department must not issue the permanent license until interested persons have been given an opportunity to be heard.

HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 415, Section 1; 1998 Act No. 363, Section 4; 2001 Act No. 89, Section 56; 2003 Act No. 70, Section 14; 2011 Act No. 67, Section 2, eff June 17, 2011.

Effect of Amendment

The 2011 amendment in subsection (1), inserted ", a homeowners association chartered as a nonprofit organization by the Secretary of State,".