Provides the village of Ossining, Westchester county, with the ability to set restrictions on the hours of sale of alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pete Harckham

Authorizes Ossining, NY to set local hours for on-premises alcohol sales (bars/restaurants) by village ordinance, giving local control to licensees and patrons.

1ST REPORT CAL.1134

Summary of Bill S 6905

Bill at a Glance

Bill Number: S 6905

Title: Provides the village of Ossining, Westchester County, with the ability to set restrictions on the hours of sale of alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption

Status: Referred to Investigations and Government Operations

Introduced: March 26, 2025

Primary Sponsor: Pete Harckham

Related Bills: S 8792 (prior-session)

What the bill would do

Authorizes the village of Ossining to enact local restrictions on the hours during which alcoholic beverages may be sold for on-premises consumption (e.g., bars and restaurants selling alcohol to patrons on-site).

The authority is exercised by Ossining through a local law or ordinance, within the framework of existing state law governing alcohol sales.

The bill clarifies that Ossining can determine hours restrictions independently at the village level, rather than relying solely on statewide or countywide rules.

Key provisions and scope

The measure specifies that restrictions apply to “retail for on-premises consumption,” meaning alcohol sold for consumption at the licensed establishment’s premises.

Local action would be taken by Ossining’s governing body (e.g., village board) through standard local-law processes.

The bill does not specify particular hours or a mandatory set of restrictions; rather, it provides the legal authority for Ossining to determine such hours locally.

Who would be affected

Primary beneficiaries/affected entities: Alcoholic beverage licensees operating for on-premises consumption in Ossining (restaurants, bars, taverns, etc.), which would be subject to village-imposed hours restrictions if Ossining acts.

Secondary effects: Village government and enforcement agencies would administer and enforce any adopted local hours rules; residents and patrons could experience changes in when alcohol service is allowed.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced on March 26, 2025 and immediately referred to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations.

Legislative actions list the same referral on March 26, 2025 (duplicative entry observed).

A related bill from the prior session, S 8792, suggests prior-year interest in granting similar local control.

Context and considerations

This bill aligns Ossining with other municipalities that exercise local-initiative authority over alcohol-service hours, enabling tailored rules responsive to local needs.

As a local-control measure, it interacts with state Alcoholic Beverage Control laws and any statewide requirements for licenses and operations.

The impact depends on whether Ossining adopts a local ordinance and the specifics of any hours restrictions chosen.

Next steps

If referred to and acted upon by the committee, the bill would progress through standard legislative steps (amendments, hearings, potential floor votes) before any enactment.