§60-3A-6. General powers and duties of board and commissioner.

(a) The board shall create, based on economic and demographic factors, market zones within the state for the issuance of Class A and Class B retail licenses.

(b) The commissioner shall:

(1) Prescribe application forms for persons desiring to acquire retail licenses and adopt an orderly procedure and timetable for investigating, processing and approving applications;

(2) Develop a form of retail license to be issued to each retail licensee under the provisions of this article;

(3) Disseminate to the public information relating to the issuance of retail licenses;

(4) Promulgate standards for advertising the sale, availability, price and selection of liquor;

(5) Set minimum standards for retail outlets regarding the amount and variety of liquor a licensee must offer for sale at each retail outlet; the size, space and design of each retail outlet; the amount of inventory and displayed inventory of liquor in each retail outlet; order quantities sufficient to qualify for delivery to each retail outlet; phone, computer and Internet requirements for each retail outlet; the verification of liquor orders; liquor delivery dates and routes for each retail outlet; and such other requirements the commissioner deems necessary;

(6) Set minimum standards for the display of inventory in retail outlets operating pursuant to a Class A retail license which shall include, without limitation, the requirement that a minimum square footage of displayed inventory available for retail purchase at the retail outlet be composed of liquor, beer and nonintoxicating beer products and that liquor, beer and nonintoxicating beer products available for sale are placed for sale throughout the entire retail area of the retail outlet including the retail floor space and shelving;

(7) Set minimum standards for the display of inventory in retail outlets operating pursuant to a Class B retail license which shall include, without limitation, the requirements that a minimum square footage of the displayed inventory available for purchase at the retail outlet be composed of liquor products; that liquor available for sale in the retail outlet is placed only in an area of the retail outlet that prominently displays signage identifying the area as a restricted liquor area and stating that no one under the age of twenty-one may purchase liquor; and that the area is separate from and not highly visible to persons outside of the restricted liquor area.

(8) Enforce the provisions of this article;

(9) Impose civil penalties upon retail licensees;

(10) Enter the retail outlet of any retail licensee at reasonable times for the purpose of inspecting the same, and determining the compliance of such retail licensee with the provisions of this article and any rules promulgated by the board or the commissioner pursuant to the provisions of this article; and

(11) Issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum for the purpose of conducting hearings under the provisions of section twenty-six or section twenty-eight of this article, which subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum shall be issued in the time, for the fees, and shall be enforced in the manner specified in section one, article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code with like effect as if such section was set forth in extenso herein.

(c) The board and the commissioner shall each:

(1) Engage accounting, legal and other necessary professional consultants to assist them in carrying out their respective duties under this article;

(2) Adopt, promulgate, amend or repeal such procedural, interpretive and legislative rules, consistent with the policy and objectives of this article, as they may deem necessary or desirable for the public interest in carrying out the provisions of this article. Such rules shall be adopted, amended and repealed in accordance with the provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code; and

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, proposed legislative rules for this article filed in the state Register by September 1, 2009, may be filed as emergency rules. Such emergency rules shall include the standards, criteria and formulae or methodology utilized by the board when establishing the minimum bid for each license pursuant to section ten-b of this article.