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ColoradoSB25-0332025 Regular SessionSenate

Prohibit New Liquor-Licensed Drug Stores

Sponsored By: Dylan Roberts (Democratic), Judy Amabile (Democratic), Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), Ron Weinberg (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Liquor, Tobacco, & MarijuanaBusiness & Economic Development

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.

Drugstore license transfers face tight limits

The law generally bars merging, selling, transferring, converting, or moving liquor-licensed drugstore licenses. It also removes the old route for combining retail liquor-store licenses into one drugstore license. An independent pharmacy’s license issued before January 1, 2025, can still be moved, sold, or transferred. Buyers must be either independent pharmacies already holding such licenses or people with no existing interest in one. An independent pharmacy is privately owned by at least one licensed pharmacist, without chain or publicly owned pharmacy ownership or affiliation.

Drugstore owners face eight-license ownership cap

No person or entity can hold a direct or indirect interest in more than eight liquor-licensed drugstore licenses. Owners with multiple licenses can combine their corporate structure, but cannot combine purchases across licensed locations. Wholesalers cannot base a drugstore’s prices on the total volume bought for multiple locations.

Drugstores face new alcohol license limits

Colorado licensing authorities cannot issue new liquor-licensed drugstore licenses starting on the law’s effective date. Existing licenses remain renewable. For licenses issued on or after January 1, 2017, renewals after that date require proof of sufficient food sales. Food must provide at least 20% of gross income from total sales at that location during the prior 12 months. Those stores must also be open to the public; licensing rules define which food items count.

Alcohol transfers gain permits, lose fee cap

Local authorities can issue temporary permits during pending ownership transfers for any retail alcohol license, including permitted drugstore transfers. These permits let buyers continue the alcohol sales allowed by the existing license. Transfer applications go to both state and local authorities on state forms, with review limited to specified legal standards. The law removes the $1,000 local application-fee cap for transfers, moves, and mergers; local fees can cover actual, necessary expenses. It also removes the specific state fee-setting directive for these transactions and the former merger route.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Dylan Roberts

    Democratic • Senate

  • Judy Amabile

    Democratic • Senate

  • Naquetta Ricks

    Democratic • House

  • Ron Weinberg

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Bob Marshall

    Democratic • House

  • Eliza Hamrick

    Democratic • House

  • Emily Sirota

    Democratic • House

  • Jacque Phillips

    Democratic • House

  • Katie Stewart

    Democratic • House

  • Meghan Lukens

    Democratic • House

  • Ryan Gonzalez

    Republican • House

  • Tisha Mauro

    Democratic • House

  • Cathy Kipp

    Democratic • Senate

  • Jeff Bridges

    Democratic • Senate

  • Kyle Mullica

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lindsey Daugherty

    Democratic • Senate

  • Marc Catlin

    Republican • Senate

  • Marc Snyder

    Democratic • Senate

  • Mike Weissman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Tony Exum

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 115 • No: 18

House vote • 4/1/2025

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 55 • No: 8

House vote • 3/25/2025

Refer Senate Bill 25-033 to the Committee of the Whole.

Yes: 8 • No: 2

House vote • 3/13/2025

Refer Senate Bill 25-033 to the Committee on Appropriations.

Yes: 13 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/20/2025

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 28 • No: 5

Senate vote • 2/14/2025

Refer Senate Bill 25-033 to the Committee of the Whole.

Yes: 6 • No: 1

Senate vote • 2/6/2025

Refer Senate Bill 25-033, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.

Yes: 5 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Governor Signed

    4/10/2025House

  2. Sent to the Governor

    4/3/2025House

  3. Signed by the President of the Senate

    4/2/2025Senate

  4. Signed by the Speaker of the House

    4/2/2025House

  5. House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    4/1/2025House

  6. House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

    3/31/2025House

  7. House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

    3/27/2025House

  8. House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

    3/25/2025House

  9. House Committee on Business Affairs & Labor Refer Unamended to Appropriations

    3/13/2025House

  10. Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    2/20/2025Senate

  11. Introduced In House - Assigned to Business Affairs & Labor

    2/20/2025House

  12. Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

    2/19/2025Senate

  13. Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole

    2/14/2025Senate

  14. Senate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology Refer Amended to Appropriations

    2/6/2025Senate

  15. Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Business, Labor, & Technology

    1/8/2025Senate

Bill Text

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