SB 25-033

Senate Bill 25-033 prohibits new liquor licenses for drugstores starting April 10, 2025. Existing stores can keep their licenses and renew them but cannot sell or transfer these licenses except under specific conditions to independent pharmacies. The bill also limits ownership of such licenses to no more than eight per person or entity. This affects current and future owners of liquor-licensed drugstores in Colorado. Since the status is "signed," the law has been enacted and will take effect as specified.

Official Summary

On and after April 10, 2025, the act prohibits the state and local licensing authorities (licensing authorities) from issuing a new liquor-licensed drugstore license (license). Licensing authorities may continue to renew existing licenses. On and after April 10, 2025, a person holding a license (licensee) is prohibited from changing the location of, merging, selling, converting, or transferring a license; except that a licensee that holds a license that was issued to an independent pharmacy before January 1, 2025, may change the location of or sell or transfer the license to another licensee that is an independent pharmacy that holds a license or to a person that does not already have a license. The act defines an independent pharmacy as a prescription drug outlet privately owned by at least one licensed pharmacist with no ownership interest by or affiliation with a chain or publicly owned pharmacy. The act prohibits an owner, part owner, shareholder, or person interested directly or indirectly in a liquor-licensed drugstore from having an interest in more than 8 licenses. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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