New Mexico § 60-3A-3 - Definitions

Full text of New Mexico New Mexico Statutes Annotated § 60-3A-3 — Definitions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 60-3A-3. Definitions

As used in the Liquor Control Act: A. “ alcoholic beverages ” means distilled or rectified spirits, potable alcohol, powdered alcohol, frozen

or freeze-dried alcohol, brandy, whiskey, rum, gin and aromatic bitters bearing the

federal internal revenue strip stamps or any similar alcoholic beverage, including

blended or fermented beverages, dilutions or mixtures of one or more of the foregoing

containing more than one-half percent alcohol, but excluding medicinal bitters; B. “ beer ” means an alcoholic beverage obtained by the fermentation of any infusion or decoction

of barley, malt and hops or other cereals in water, and includes porter, beer, ale

and stout; C. “ brewer ” means a person who owns or operates a business for the manufacture of beer; D. “ cider ” means an alcoholic beverage made from the normal alcoholic fermentation of the juice

of sound, ripe apples or pears that contains not less than one-half of one percent

alcohol by volume and not more than eight and one-half percent alcohol by volume; E. “ club ” means: (1) any nonprofit group, including an auxiliary or subsidiary group, organized and

operated under the laws of this state, with a membership of not less than fifty members

who pay membership dues at the rate of not less than five dollars ($5.00) per year

and who, under the constitution and bylaws of the club, have all voting rights and

full membership privileges, and which group is the owner, lessee or occupant of premises

used exclusively for club purposes and which group the director finds: (a) is operated solely for recreation, social, patriotic, political, benevolent or

athletic purposes; and (b) has been granted an exemption by the United States from the payment of the federal

income tax as a club under the provisions of Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 , 1 as amended, or, if the applicant has not operated as a club for a sufficient time

to be eligible for the income tax exemption, it must execute and file with the director

a sworn letter of intent declaring that it will, in good faith, apply for an income

tax exemption as soon as it is eligible; or (2) an airline passenger membership club operated by an air common carrier that maintains

or operates a clubroom at an airport terminal. As used in this paragraph, “ air common carrier ” means a person engaged in regularly scheduled air transportation between fixed termini

under a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued by the federal aviation

administration; F. “ commission ” means the secretary of public safety when the term is used in reference to the enforcement

and investigatory provisions of the Liquor Control Act and means the superintendent

of regulation and licensing when the term is used in reference to the licensing provisions

of the Liquor Control Act; G. “ department ” means the New Mexico state police division of the department of public safety when

the term is used in reference to the enforcement and investigatory provisions of the

Liquor Control Act and means the director of the alcoholic beverage control division

of the regulation and licensing department when the term is used in reference to the

licensing provisions of the Liquor Control Act; H. “ director ” means the chief of the New Mexico state police division of the department of public

safety when the term is used in reference to the enforcement and investigatory provisions

of the Liquor Control Act and means the director of the alcoholic beverage control

division of the regulation and licensing department when the term is used in reference

to the licensing provisions of the Liquor Control Act; I. “ dispenser ” means a person licensed under the provisions of the Liquor Control Act selling,

offering for sale or having in the person's possession with the intent to sell alcoholic

beverages both by the drink for consumption on the licensed premises and in unbroken

packages, including locally produced growlers, for consumption and not for resale

off the licensed premises; J. “ distiller ” means a person engaged in manufacturing spirituous liquors; K. “ golf course ” means a tract of land and facilities used for playing golf and other recreational

activities that includes tees, fairways, greens, hazards, putting greens, driving

ranges, recreational facilities, patios, restaurants, banquet halls, pro shops, cart

paths and public and private roads that are located within the tract of land; L. “ governing body ” means the board of county commissioners of a county or the city council or city

commissioners of a municipality; M. “ growler ” means a clean, refillable, resealable container that has a liquid capacity that

does not exceed one gallon and that is intended and used for the sale of New Mexico-produced

beer, wine or cider for consumption off premises; N. “ hotel ” means an establishment or complex having a resident of New Mexico as a proprietor

or manager and where, in consideration of payment, food and lodging are regularly

furnished to the general public. The establishment or complex must maintain for the use of its guests a minimum of

twenty-five sleeping rooms; O. “ licensed premises ” means the contiguous areas of the structure and the grounds that are under the direct

control of the licensee; provided that “ licensed premises ” includes a restaurant that has operated continuously in two separate structures

since July 1, 1987 and that is located in a local option district that has voted to

disapprove the transfer of liquor licenses into that local option district, hotel,

golf course, ski area or racetrack and all public and private rooms, facilities and

areas in which alcoholic beverages are sold or served in the customary operating procedures

of the restaurant, hotel, golf course, ski area or racetrack. “ Licensed premises ” also includes rural dispenser licenses located in the unincorporated areas of a

county with a population of less than thirty thousand, located in buildings in existence

as of January 1, 2012, that are within one hundred fifty feet of one another and that

are under the direct control of the license holder; P. “ local option district ” means a county that has voted to approve the sale, serving or public consumption

of alcoholic beverages, or an incorporated municipality that falls within a county

that has voted to approve the sale, serving or public consumption of alcoholic beverages,

or an incorporated municipality of over five thousand population that has independently

voted to approve the sale, serving or public consumption of alcoholic beverages under

the terms of the Liquor Control Act or any former act; Q. “ manufacturer ” means a distiller, rectifier, brewer or winer; R. “ minor ” means a natural person under twenty-one years of age; S. “ package ” means a container of alcoholic beverages that is filled or packed by a manufacturer

or wine bottler for sale by the manufacturer or wine bottler to wholesalers; T. “ person ” means an individual, corporation, firm, partnership, copartnership, association

or other legal entity; U. “ rectifier ” means a person who blends, mixes or distills alcohol with other liquids or substances

for the purpose of making an alcoholic beverage for the purpose of sale other than

to the consumer by the drink, and includes all bottlers of spirituous liquors; V. “ restaurant ” means an establishment having a New Mexico resident as a proprietor or manager that

is held out to the public as a place where food is prepared and served primarily for

on-premises consumption to the general public in consideration of payment and that

has a dining room, a kitchen and the employees necessary for preparing, cooking and

serving food; provided that “restaurant” does not include establishments as defined

in rules promulgated by the director serving only hamburgers, sandwiches, salads and

other fast foods; W. “ retailer ” means a person licensed under the provisions of the Liquor Control Act selling,

offering for sale or having in the person's possession with the intent to sell alcoholic

beverages in unbroken packages, including growlers, for consumption and not for resale

off the licensed premises; X. “ ski area ” means a tract of land and facilities for the primary purpose of alpine skiing, snowboarding

or other snow sports with trails, parks and at least one chairlift with uphill capacity

and may include facilities necessary for other seasonal or year-round recreational

activities; Y. “ spirituous liquors ” means alcoholic beverages as defined in Subsection A of this section except fermented

beverages such as wine, beer and cider; Z. “ wholesaler ” means a person whose place of business is located in New Mexico and who sells, offers

for sale or possesses for the purpose of sale any alcoholic beverages for resale by

the purchaser; AA. “ wine ” means alcoholic beverages obtained by the fermentation of the natural sugar contained

in fruit or other agricultural products, with or without the addition of sugar or

other products, that do not contain less than one-half percent nor more than twenty-one

percent alcohol by volume; BB. “ wine bottler ” means a wholesaler who is licensed to sell wine at wholesale for resale only and

who buys wine in bulk and bottles it for wholesale resale; CC. “ winegrower ” means a person who owns or operates a business for the manufacture of wine or cider; DD. “ winer ” means a winegrower; and EE. “ winery ” means a licensed premises in which a winegrower manufactures and stores wine or

cider. 1

26 U.S.C.A. § 501(a).

Frequently Asked Questions About New Mexico § 60-3A-3

What does New Mexico Statutes Annotated § 60-3A-3 cover?

Section 60-3A-3 ("Definitions") is part of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated, the codified statutory law of New Mexico. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite New Mexico § 60-3A-3?

A common citation format is "New Mexico Statutes Annotated § 60-3A-3" (New Mexico). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of New Mexico law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the New Mexico official source linked on this page or consult a licensed New Mexico attorney.

How does New Mexico § 60-3A-3 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in New Mexico can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in New Mexico.