Sec. 109.33. SALES NEAR SCHOOL, CHURCH, OR HOSPITAL

(a) The commissioners court of a county may enact regulations applicable in areas in the county outside an incorporated city or town, and the governing board of an incorporated city or town may enact regulations applicable in the city or town, prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages by a dealer whose place of business is within:

(1) 300 feet of a church, public or private school, or public hospital;

(2) 1,000 feet of a public school, if the commissioners court or the governing body receives a request from the board of trustees of a school district under Section 38.007, Education Code; or

(3) 1,000 feet of a private school if the commissioners court or the governing body receives a request from the governing body of the private school.

(b) The measurement of the distance between the place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold and the church or public hospital shall be along the property lines of the street fronts and from front door to front door, and in direct line across intersections. The measurement of the distance between the place of business where alcoholic beverages are sold and the public or private school shall be:

(1) in a direct line from the property line of the public or private school to the property line of the place of business, and in a direct line across intersections; or

(2) if the permit or license holder is located on or above the fifth story of a multistory building, in a direct line from the property line of the public or private school to the property line of the place of business, in a direct line across intersections, and vertically up the building at the property line to the base of the floor on which the permit or license holder is located.

(c) Every applicant for an original alcoholic beverage license or permit for a location with a door by which the public may enter the place of business of the applicant that is within 1,000 feet of the nearest property line of a public or private school, measured along street lines and directly across intersections, must give written notice of the application to officials of the public or private school before filing the application with the commission. A copy of the notice must be submitted to the commission with the application. This subsection does not apply to a permit or license covering a premise where minors are prohibited from entering the premises under Section 109.53.

(d) As to any dealer who held a license or permit on September 1, 1983, in a location where a regulation under this section was in effect on that date, for purposes of Subsection (a), but not Subsection (c), of this section, the measurement of the distance between the place of business of the dealer and a public or private school shall be along the property lines of the street fronts and from front door to front door, and in direct line across intersections.

(e) The commissioners court of a county or the governing board of a city or town that has enacted a regulation under Subsection (a) of this section may also allow variances to the regulation if the commissioners court or governing body determines that enforcement of the regulation in a particular instance is not in the best interest of the public, constitutes waste or inefficient use of land or other resources, creates an undue hardship on an applicant for a license or permit, does not serve its intended purpose, is not effective or necessary, or for any other reason the court or governing board, after consideration of the health, safety, and welfare of the public and the equities of the situation, determines is in the best interest of the community.

(f) Subsections (a)(2) and (3) do not apply to the holder of:

(1) a retail on-premises consumption permit or license if less than 50 percent of the gross receipts for the premises is from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages;

(2) a retail off-premises consumption permit or license if less than 50 percent of the gross receipts for the premises, excluding the sale of items subject to the motor fuels tax, is from the sale or service of alcoholic beverages; or

(3) a wholesaler's, distributor's, brewer's, distiller's and rectifier's, winery, wine bottler's or manufacturer's permit or license, or any other license or permit held by a wholesaler or manufacturer as those words are ordinarily used and understood in Chapter 102.

(g) Subsection (a)(3) does not apply to the holder of:

(1) a license or permit issued under Chapter 27, 31, or 72 who is operating on the premises of a private school; or

(2) a license or permit covering a premise where minors are prohibited from entering under Section 109.53 and that is located within 1,000 feet of a private school.

(h) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to the holder of:

(1) a license or permit who also holds a food and beverage certificate covering a premise that is located within 300 feet of a private school; or

(2) a license or permit covering a premise where minors are prohibited from entering under Section 109.53 and that is located within 300 feet of a private school.

(i) In this section, "private school" means a private school, including a parochial school, that:

(1) offers a course of instruction for students in one or more grades from kindergarten through grade 12; and

(2) has more than 100 students enrolled and attending courses at a single location.

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 526, ch. 194, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 4038, ch. 629, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 7, eff. May 30, 1995; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 2, eff. May 28, 2001.