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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...
December 18, 2008
December 18, 2008 - The DC City Council passed emergency legislation extending the hours of operation and alcohol service from January 17th until 11:59 PM, January 21st. In order to participate in the extended hours you must file an application with ABRA by January 7th at 4:00 PM. The specifics of the extension are as follows: All on-premise establishments in the District are eligible to participate that either 1.) do not have a voluntary agreement or 2.) have voluntary agreements that do not specify hours of operation. Hours of operation may be continuous throughout the Inaugural...
November 14, 2008
The Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act (ASSLA) became effective November 13, 2008. The act requires all employers to provide paid sick leave to eligible employees working in the District for absences related to physical or mental illness, preventive medical care or family care, and for absences associated with domestic violence or sexual abuse.Employers must provide the following sick days to their full-time employees: 7 days of paid leave a year from an employer with 100 or more employees 5 days of paid leave a year from an employer with 25 to 99 employees 3 days of paid leave a year from an...
November 11, 2008
Changes to ABC Regulatory ApproachClick here to view the latest communication received from Peter Feather, Chairman of the DC ABC Board, reflecting a significant change in the penalties imposed for sale to those underage, along with other changes in the Board’s regulatory approach.RAMW continues to fight for a reasonable regulatory environment and as always we will keep you posted on future efforts and successes.
October 22, 2008
October 23, 2008 Maria Delaney, ABRA Director, sent an announcement changing the Sale to Minor Penalty. Following is the text from her email:“Effective immediately the penalty for staff settlement for a second sale to minor violation will change. The present penalty is 10 days suspension with 4 stayed and 6 days served but this has been changed to 10 days suspension with 6 days stayed and 4 days served. If the second offense is within a year, the licensee will also have to serve the stayed days from the first sale to minor violation. The licensee will still be required...
October 15, 2008
Wine Doggy Bag FAQs:Many of you have raised questions about the recently passed Wine Doggy Bag provisions. Here are the most common questions we received here in the office at RAMW, and the answers provided by RAMW’s General Counsel, Andrew J. Kline:Do I have to use the special wine doggy bags? Or can I just use a regular take away bag stapled closed? The bag or container must be secured in such a manner that it is visibly apparent if the container has been opened or tampered with. You do not have to use RAMW’s designated vendor, but the Wine Doggy Bag meets those requirements. To...
October 2, 2008
We are pleased to inform you that District of Columbia Enterprise Zone (DCEZ) Tax Incentives are available once again to private for-profit businesses located in, or doing business within, the DCEZ. Last week, President Bush signed into law legislation that, among other things, extends the DCEZ designation through December 31, 2009. The narrowing of opportunities within the capital and debt markets today make these incentives more important than ever before. For example:If your pending or planned capital project is situated within the zone, you seriously should consider...
August 31, 2008
The “Kids in Clubs Bill”, prompted by continuing violence in clubs and entertainment venues, was aimed at club owners and employees rather than sharing responsibility for order with the under-age offenders themselves. The bill did not pass and, instead, curfew laws are being more strictly enforced. After years of debate about Zones or Meters for taxi service in the District, Congress forced the issue by mandating that the Mayor make a decision on the issue. Mayor Fenty made a point of listening to all sides of the argument, including that of RAMW and the hospitality...
September 20, 2006
Capital Is Attracting Singles and Empty-Nester Travelers, Nonprofit Group Says By Chris KirkhamWashington Post Staff WriterWednesday, September 20, 2006; B04 Tourist spending jumped nearly 5 percent last year, pumping an estimated $5 billion into the District's economy and cementing tourism as one of the key economic drivers in the city, according to a survey released yesterday. By paying taxes in Washington's restaurants, shops and entertainment venues, last year's 15.4 million visitors contributed more than 40 percent of the city's total sales tax revenue and created...
August 31, 2006
By Annie Shuppy May 9 (Bloomberg) -- Jeff Buben wonders how his two Washington, D.C., restaurants changed from places where lawmakers enjoyed lunch to potential crime scenes. ``The business of Washington is done in restaurants,'' said Buben, chef-owner of Bistro Bis and Vidalia. ``To put restaurants at the end of the barrel, say that's where criminal activity is being done -- that's ridiculous.'' Buben and fellow restaurateurs in the nation's capital are steaming over a bill that would outlaw one of the town's enduring traditions: free meals for lawmakers...
June 8, 2005
By John McArdle, Roll Call Staff Hangouts Changed With the Area By the time the House Judiciary Committee formally launched impeachment hearings against then-President Richard Nixon on May 9, 1974, Stuart Long was already fairly certain that the Republican president was a political dead man walking. In those days, Long was the owner of two of Capitol Hill’s most popular watering holes along Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast. One was Jenkins Hill, which since opening in 1973 had become the hip new hangout for Republican Members and staffers. The other was The Hawk ‘n’ Dove, in...
November 29, 1999
RAMW President, Lynne Breaux testifies in support of Extended Alcoholic Beverage Service Hours Pursuant to Mayor’s Budget Proposal uman Services Budget: Alcoholic Beverage Regulation AdministrationDate: March 29, 2012PDF
