(1) The commission shall set for hearing before it any application for a retail license, bottle club license, craft brewery license, or microdistillery license relative to which it has received:

(a) Within forty-five days after the date of receipt of such application by the city, village, or county clerk, a recommendation of denial from the city, village, or county;

(b) Within ten days after the receipt of a recommendation from the city, village, or county, or, if no recommendation is received, within forty-five days after the date of receipt of such application by the city, village, or county clerk, objections in writing by not less than three persons residing within such city, village, or county, protesting the issuance of the license. Withdrawal of the protest does not prohibit the commission from conducting a hearing based upon the protest as originally filed and making an independent finding as to whether the license should or should not be issued;

(c) Within forty-five days after the date of receipt of such application by the city, village, or county clerk, objections by the commission or any duly appointed employee of the commission, protesting the issuance of the license; or

(d) An indication on the application that the location of a proposed retail or bottle club establishment is within one hundred fifty feet of a church as described in subsection (2) of section 53-177 and a written request by the church for a hearing.

(2) Hearings upon such applications shall be in the following manner: Notice indicating the time and place of such hearing shall be mailed or electronically delivered to the applicant, the local governing body, each individual protesting a license pursuant to subdivision (1)(b) of this section, and any church affected as described in subdivision (1)(d) of this section, at least fifteen days prior to such hearing. The notice shall state that the commission will receive evidence for the purpose of determining whether to approve or deny the application. Mailing or electronic delivery to the attorney of record of a party shall be deemed to fulfill the purposes of this section. The commission may receive evidence, including testimony and documentary evidence, and may hear and question witnesses concerning the application. The commission shall not use electronic delivery with respect to an applicant, a protestor, or a church under this section without the consent of the recipient to electronic delivery.

Source:Laws 1935, c. 116, § 84, p. 420; C.S.Supp.,1941, § 53-384; R.S.1943, § 53-133; Laws 1959, c. 249, § 8, p. 868; Laws 1961, c. 260, § 1, p. 774; Laws 1976, LB 413, § 3; Laws 1979, LB 224, § 2; Laws 1983, LB 213, § 13; Laws 1986, LB 911, § 5; Laws 1988, LB 550, § 2; Laws 1989, LB 781, § 11; Laws 1993, LB 183, § 13; Laws 1999, LB 267, § 10; Laws 2004, LB 485, § 22; Laws 2007, LB549, § 13; Laws 2010, LB861, § 67; Laws 2011, LB407, § 6; Laws 2015, LB330, § 20; Laws 2018, LB1120, § 16.

Annotations

The portion of this section amended by 1986 Neb. Laws, L.B. 911, is declared unconstitutional. Bosselman, Inc. v. State, 230 Neb. 471, 432 N.W.2d 226 (1988).

Absence of need alone is not a sufficient reason to deny an otherwise proper application for a liquor license. Joe & Al's IGA, Inc. v. Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, 203 Neb. 176, 277 N.W.2d 693 (1979).

On objection to application for liquor license, where hearing is required, the matter becomes a contested case under section 84-901(3), and notice to applicant of the issues is necessary. J K & J, Inc. v. Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, 194 Neb. 413, 231 N.W.2d 694 (1975).

In administrative hearing on application for license not required by this section where evidence fails to establish valid ground for denial, Nebraska Liquor Control Commission is required to cause license to be issued. Hadlock v. Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, 193 Neb. 721, 228 N.W.2d 887 (1975).