(1) The license of a vendor qualified as a responsible vendor under this act may not be suspended or revoked for an employee’s illegal sale or service of an alcoholic beverage to a person who is not of lawful drinking age or for an employee’s engaging in or permitting others to engage in the illegal sale, use of, or trafficking in controlled substances, if the employee had completed the applicable training prescribed by this act prior to committing such violation, unless the vendor had knowledge of the violation, should have known about such violation, or participated in or committed such violation. No vendor may use as a defense to suspension or revocation the fact that she or he was absent from the licensed premises at the time a violation of the Beverage Law occurred if the violations are flagrant, persistent, repeated, or recurring.
(2) The division shall consider qualification as a responsible vendor in mitigation of administrative penalties for an employee’s illegal sale or service of an alcoholic beverage to a person who is not of lawful drinking age and if the vendor has administered the applicable courses for controlled substances, for an employee’s engaging in the illegal sale, use of, or trafficking in controlled substances.
(3) The division shall maintain a record of each arrest of a vendor or an employee for a violation of s. 562.11, and shall ascertain at the time of the arrest whether the vendor has provided training for its employees as provided in s. 561.705 or pursuant to any other program instituted by the vendor. In compiling the record of arrests, the division shall determine if the vendor trained its employees as provided in s. 561.705, pursuant to any other training program, or did not train its employees in a manner similar to the provisions of s. 561.705. The records may be examined by any interested person.
History.—s. 6, ch. 89-107; s. 20, ch. 91-60; s. 3, ch. 96-419; s. 1181, ch. 97-103; s. 5, ch. 2003-20.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XXXIV - Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
Chapter 561 - Beverage Law: Administration
561.02 - Creation and Duties of Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
561.025 - Alcoholic Beverage and Tobacco Trust Fund.
561.027 - Federal Law Enforcement Trust Fund.
561.051 - Reporting Requirements of Director.
561.08 - Enforcement of Beverage Law; Division to Prescribe Forms.
561.11 - Power and Authority of Division.
561.1105 - Inspection of Licensed Premises; Coin-Operated Amusement Machines.
561.111 - Payment of Taxes by Electronic Funds Transfer.
561.1211 - Credit for Contributions to Eligible Nonprofit Scholarship-Funding Organizations.
561.1212 - Credit for Contributions to the New Worlds Reading Initiative.
561.1213 - Credit for Contributions to Eligible Charitable Organizations.
561.14 - License and Registration Classification.
561.15 - Licenses; Qualifications Required.
561.17 - License and Registration Applications; Approved Person.
561.18 - License Investigation.
561.181 - Temporary Initial Licenses.
561.19 - License Issuance Upon Approval of Division.
561.20 - Limitation Upon Number of Licenses Issued.
561.22 - Licensing Manufacturers, Distributors, and Registered Exporters as Vendors Prohibited.
561.29 - Revocation and Suspension of License; Power to Subpoena.
561.32 - Transfer of Licenses; Change of Officers or Directors; Transfer of Interest.
561.33 - Licensee Moving to New Location; Changing Name of Business.
561.342 - County and Municipal License Tax.
561.37 - Bond for Payment of Taxes.
561.371 - Bond for Payment of Taxes by Spirituous Liquor Distributors.
561.38 - Issuance of License Prohibited Until Bond Approved; Cancellation or Expiration of Bond.
561.411 - Qualifications for Distributors.
561.4205 - Keg Deposits; Limited Alternative Inventory and Reconciliation Process.
561.421 - Temporary Convention Permits.
561.423 - Beer and Malt Beverages; In-Store Servicing Authorized.
561.424 - Vinous Beverages; In-Store Servicing Authorized.
561.49 - No Tax on Out-of-State Sales.
561.495 - Legislative Findings; Cost of Regulating Imported Beverages.
561.50 - One State Tax Payment; Reports.
561.5101 - Come-to-Rest Requirement; Exceptions; Penalties.
561.54 - Certain Deliveries of Beverages Prohibited.
561.545 - Certain Shipments of Beverages Prohibited; Penalties; Exceptions.
561.56 - Transportation of Beverages by Manufacturers, Distributors, and Exporters.
561.57 - Deliveries by Licensees.
561.58 - Issuance of License for a Prior License Revoked.
561.65 - Mortgagee’s Interest in License.
561.665 - Division to Restrict Licensees From Permitting Certain Activities.
561.67 - Reclamation by Distributor of Beverages Not Paid for by Licensed Vendors.
561.68 - Licensure; Distributor’s Salespersons.
561.695 - Stand-Alone Bar Enforcement; Qualification; Penalties.
561.703 - Definitions Relating to Florida Responsible Vendor Act.