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April 15, 2011
ABRA has stepped up inspections and enforcement of the regulations requiring import permits. A violation will likely result in a $2,000 fine, and possibly a suspension of your license.As an ABC licensee in the District, it is your responsibility to assure that the alcoholic beverages served in your business are purchased either from D.C. licensed wholesalers, or have been brought into the District and delivered to you under an import permit issued by ABRA. IT IS NOT THE OUT OF STATE WHOLESALER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO PROCURE THE IMPORT PERMIT, it is yours. An Import permit is required for...
February 8, 2011
New Disorderly Conduct Law Includes Noise Violation The new disorderly conduct law passed by the DC Council in December became effective citywide at midnight on February 1, 2011. This includes the new "Noise at Night" violation that has been mentioned in the media. While MPD will continue to work with individuals and communities to appropriately balance the rights of each, the new law makes it clear that a person who makes an unreasonably loud noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. that is likely to annoy or disturb one or more other persons in their residences is...
February 1, 2011
RAMW Opposes Health Inspection Grade Posting Legislation
Washington, DC (January 21, 2011) - Legislation was introduced in the Council of the District ofColumbia which would revamp the current health inspection regulations forrestaurants in Washington, DC. RAMW is opposed to this legislation – as we werewhen a version was introduced in 2009; that bill died in committee, as this oneshould.
This legislation mandates a simplistic letter grading systemwith the grade posted in the restaurant’s front window. The process of healthinspections is a one-day snapshot that...
January 21, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:January 21, 2011Contact:Candice SiegelCommunications Director202.331.5990info@ramw.orgLegislation was introduced in the Council of the District of Columbia which would revamp the current health inspection regulations for restaurants in Washington, DC. RAMW is opposed to this legislation – as we were when a version was introduced in 2009; that bill died in committee, as this one should. This legislation mandates a simplistic letter grading system with the grade posted in the restaurant’s front window. The process of health inspections is a one-day snapshot...
January 18, 2011
Congratulations to DC’s New Mayor Vincent Gray! Thank you to the following members for their generous contributions to the Mayoral Inauguration:
January 1, 2010
BAG TAX FAQs Q. When do I have to start charging $.05 for bags?A. You should be charging for bags NOW…and starting January 1, 2010. Q. Do I have to charge for all carry out bags?A. If you have a restaurant business license (e.g. not a deli or grocery license) and you provide seating you are exempt from charging for paper bags ONLY. You must charge for any other type of disposable carry out bag, other than a Wine Doggie Bag.Q. With all the talk about paper and plastic, what about biodegradable and compostable bags that are neither paper nor plastic?A. Under...
December 31, 2009
DC Bag Bill Update On Tuesday, December 15th, Councilmember Wells moved emergency legislation (which passed unanimously) to provide extra time for businesses to meet the requirements of Section 3 of the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Act of 2009.Specifically, Councilmember Wells had heard from some businesses with concerns that they will not have enough time to use previously purchased and existing stock of plastic and paper bags that may not be compliant with the new law. While the Council’s action clearly moves the District progressively to reduce the harmful impact of...
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies at a public hearing to voice support for the Trash Compactor Incentive Act of 2008, which provides financial assistance to restaurants to purchase or lease trash compactors.Date: Nov 2008. Issue Status: The 2008 Act was ultimately not passed by the DC City Council.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies on the various problems and possible solutions for DC’s taxi system after being nominated to the Taxicab Commission.Date: Oct 2006. PDF File RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committee on Public Works and the Environment about the Taxicab and Limousine Reform Act, offering suggestions to change the taxi zone system and improve the way taxi transportation is regulated.Date: Nov 2004. Issue Status: The 2004 act did not ultimately pass, and the zone system for taxi fares remains in place.PDF File...
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committee on Human Services about the substantial burden that would be placed on restaurants by requiring detailed nutrition labeling on menusDate: Nov 2003. Issue Status: Proposals to institute menu labeling mandates in DC havebeen consistently voted down in the face of restaurant industry resistance.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW General Counsel Andrew Kline testifies in front of the DC Committee on Consumer & Regulatory Affairs about the major problems with the District’s Master Business License (MBL) and how confusion regarding its use was harming restaurants. Date: Oct 2002. Issue Status: The MBL has now been discontinued in DC, and replaced by the Basic Business License (BBL). PDF File
October 15, 2009
Former RAMW Chair (2007-9) Paul Cohn testifies in front of the DC Committee on Finance and Revenue in 2003, supporting the District’s efforts to bring a new baseball team to the city.Date: June 2003. Issue Status: DC gained a new MLB team, the Washington Nationals, in2005. The team moved into the new Nationals Park in Southeast DC in2008. PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies at a public hearing on the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (BID), expressing support for the BID’s designation and encouraging an extension of its term. Date: May 2008. Issue Status: The Golden Triangle BID's charter was extended in summer 2008 by five more years, until 2013.PDF File RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the deputy mayor about the Golden Triangle BID’s benefit to local businesses, and supports an extension of its term. Date: June 2003. Issue Status: The Golden Triangle...
October 15, 2009
Former RAMW Chair (2007-9) Paul Cohn testifies in front of the DC Committee on Finance and Revenue and details how extending restaurant service hours during President Obama’s inauguration benefited the DC restaurant industry.Date: Feb 2009. Issue Status: Stemming from the success of the Inauguration, for 2009 ABRA is allowing on-premise ABC licensees to remainopen one extra hour and serve alcoholic beverages the night before DCand federal holidays.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in support of a plan to better develop Southwest Washington’s waterfront areas.Date: Sep 2003. Issue Status: Plans for major projects on the Southwest Waterfront aremoving ahead, including new housing, commercial, hotel and publicrecreational developments.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the full DC City Council, outlining several uses for DC funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that would benefit both the city and its restaurateurs.Date: Feb 2009. Issue Status: As encouraged by RAMW, DC has concentrated on using its stimulus funds to improve local transportation networks.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committees on Government Operations and the Environment, and Finance and Revenue, pointing out the undue regulatory burden placed on restaurants by the proposed bag tax measure.Date: April 2009. Issue Status: The measure passed the DC City Council in July 2009, thoughwith exemptions for paper and reusable carryout bags, and bags fortranporting partially consumed wine bottles ("wine doggy bags"). Itwill enter into effect in January 2010.PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW General Counsel Andrew Kline testifies in front of the DC Committee on Public Service and Consumer Affairs, supporting the Vending Regulation Act of 2009 but voicing concerns over certain components.Date: June 2009. Issue Status: The Act was approved by the DC City Council in July 2009. PDF File
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committees on Economic Development, and Finance and Revenue, in support of the new convention center hotel.Date: June 2009. Issue Status: DC public financing was approved for the Convention CenterHotel in July 2009, with groundbreaking anticipated for late fall 2009. PDF File RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committee on Economic Development in support of transferring the convention center’s site control to the Washington Convention Center AuthorityDate: Oct 2003. Issue Status:...
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committee on Health about the positives and negatives of smoking bans, and how the restaurant market is already solving the problem through certain restaurants voluntarily going smoke-free.Date: Sep 2005. Issue Status: Effective January 2007, smoking is banned in all bars/restaurants places in DC (excepting outdoor areas). PDF File Former RAMW Chair Ron Hallagan testifies about the over-regulation of restaurants that smoking bans add to, and how such bans consistently hurt small businesses.Date: June 2005....
October 15, 2009
RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies in front of the DC Committee on Public Works and Transportation in support of Fred Moosally’s appointment as new ABRA director.Date: June 2009. Issue Status: Mr. Moosally was confirmed as ABRA director in July 2009.PDF File RAMW President Lynne Breaux testifies at a public hearing on the Alcoholic Beverage Enforcement Act of 2008, outlining the excessive fees and culture of over-regulation persistent within ABRA.Date: Nov 2008. Issue Status: The 2008 Act passed and went into effect March 2009, butwith several positive...
September 9, 2009
RAMW works hard to represent the interests of the metropolitan DC area restaurant community to local governments and representatives. We do this through direct lobbying of elected officials, information campaigns, and analyses of the large tax and regulatory burdens restaurants face. Another vital way we voice the concerns of our members is testimony in front of government committees and at public hearings. Below are some examples of testimony from RAMW’s leadership on key restaurant issues (grouped by issue). DC Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) RAMW...
September 9, 2009
RAMW works hard to represent the interests of the metropolitan DC area restaurant community to local governments and representatives. We do this through direct lobbying of elected officials, information campaigns, and analyses of the large tax and regulatory burdens restaurants face. Another vital way we voice the concerns of our members is testimony in front of government committees and at public hearings. Below are some examples of testimony from RAMW’s leadership on key restaurant issues (grouped by issue).DC Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA)RAMW...
August 18, 2009
There are two exciting new changes that can be found on the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration’s (ABRA’s) website. These two changes are designed to improvecommunications between the Agency and the public, including licensees. The first change is ABRA’s new E-Feedback Form . This form is intended to allow licensees and members of the publicto submit their suggestions to improve the agency both on-line and inreal time from the ABRA website. ABRA looks forward to receiving yourcomments regarding how they can continue to improve. The E-...
July 23, 2009
New ABRA Information Available Online There are two exciting new changes that can be found on the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration’s (ABRA’s) website. These two changes are designed to improvecommunications between the Agency and the public, including licensees. The first change is ABRA’s new E-Feedback Form. This form is intended to allow licensees and members of the publicto submit their suggestions to improve the agency both on-line and inreal time from the ABRA website. ABRA looks forward to receiving yourcomments regarding how they can...
