Section 25505.

No on-sale licensee, or any officer, director, employee, or agent of that licensee, shall hold any ownership or interest, directly or indirectly, in any manufacturer's, winegrower's, rectifier's, importer's, or wholesaler's license, the business conducted under that license, or the property used in the business.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the holding by one person of a wholesaler's license and an on-sale license in a county with a population that does not exceed 15,000.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to the financial or representative relationship between a manufacturer, winegrower, manufacturer's agent, rectifier, distiller, bottler, importer, or wholesaler, or any officer, director, or agent of that person, and, except as otherwise specified, a person holding only one of the following types of licenses:

(a) On-sale general license for a bona fide club.

(b) Club license (issued under Article 4 (commencing with Section 23425) of Chapter 3 of this division).

(c) Veterans' club license (issued under Article 5 (commencing with Section 23450) of Chapter 3 of this division).

(d) On-sale license for boats, trains, sleeping cars or airplanes, except as provided in subdivision (e), where the alcoholic beverages produced or sold by that manufacturer, winegrower, manufacturer's agent, rectifier, bottler, importer, or wholesaler or any officer, director, or agent of that person are not sold, furnished or given, directly or indirectly to the on-sale licensee.

The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the leasing of property by an on-sale licensee to a manufacturer, winegrower, rectifier, importer or wholesaler provided that the lease agreement is first approved by the department. The department shall approve the lease agreement unless it finds that the rent payable is not the fair rental value of the property or that the purpose of the lease is to violate any of the provisions of this chapter.

The provisions of this section shall not prohibit the holding of any ownership or interest by an on-sale licensee, or any officer, director, employee, or agent of any on-sale licensee, in any winegrower's license, which winegrower manufactures, produces, bottles, processes, imports, or sells wine only, or in the business conducted under any winegrower's license, provided the on-sale licensee, or the officer, director, employee, or agent thereof does not sell pursuant to that on-sale license any wine manufactured, produced, processed, imported, or sold by the licensed winegrower for so long as the holding of the ownership or interest continues.

(e) Any and all of the licenses specifically enumerated, mentioned, or described in Section 25503.30, either singly or in combination.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 296, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2011.)