RD275 - Annual Report of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control


Executive Summary:
Virginia ABC's vision is to enhance the quality of life for Virginia's citizens by balancing service, revenue and control in the distribution, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Across the Commonwealth, ABC employees are partnering to carry out ABC's mission to control the distribution of alcoholic beverages; operate efficient, conveniently located retail outlets; enforce the laws of the Commonwealth pertaining to alcoholic beverages and youth access to tobacco products; and provide excellent customer service, a reliable source of revenue, and effective public safety.

ABC operates over 300 retail outlets that sell packaged distilled spirits to the public and to almost 4,000 mixed beverage licensees. In Fiscal Year 2005, 301 ABC stores were responsible for over $532 million in gross sales and the sale of more than 3.3 million cases of distilled spirits, Virginia wines and assorted mixers. A major source of revenue for Virginia state agencies, the General Fund and localities, ABC provided over $268 million in contributions to the Commonwealth for Fiscal Year 2005.

ABC's commitment to customer service includes operating efficient, conveniently located retail outlets with pleasant shopping environments and knowledgeable employees. Throughout the year, 10 new stores opened, 4 stores were relocated, and 11 stores were modernized. In addition, customer service ratings remained high with 91 percent of ABC store shoppers being very satisfied with the overall customer service provided in ABC stores while areas of prompt service and product knowledge also received marks above 90 percent.

The agency is dedicated to ensuring that legal-aged adults who choose to responsibly consume alcohol can do so in a safe environment - one that is compliant with the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth. ABC's Bureau of Law Enforcement has 127 special agents with full police powers and a diverse range of duties - from investigating license applicants, to detecting illegal distilleries, to enforcing criminal and ABC laws in more than 14,000 licensed establishments. ABC agents utilize underage buyers to conduct checks on retail licensees that sell alcohol, including ABC stores, and on retail establishments that sell tobacco products. Compliance rates for sales of alcohol to underage buyers reached 89 percent in licensed establishments and 98 percent in ABC stores for Fiscal Year 2005. ABC's Tobacco Underage Buyer program resulted in a 90 percent compliance rate, up 3 percent from the previous year.

ABC continues to lead the Commonwealth in alcohol prevention and community education initiatives. ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement's Education Section provides training to local law enforcement agencies on the alcohol laws of Virginia and provides compliance training for licensees. In addition, the agency provides thousands of dollars in grant funding to enhance community prevention coalitions, produces prevention materials, and hosts training sessions and conferences for communities, colleges and universities throughout Virginia. During Fiscal Year 2005, the Bureau of Law Enforcement monitored licensed establishments and conducted 122 responsible selling and serving classes, training 2,536 seller/server/owner participants.

In Fiscal Year 2005, the Hearings, Appeals and Board Administration Division received and processed 1,234 cases resulting in $1,771,900 in penalties and fines. In addition to administrative violations, the division dockets contested license applications referred for hearing.

Throughout the Commonwealth, ABC employees are partnering to carry out the mission of the agency. All divisions of the ABC team provide important functions necessary for the agency to provide excellence in all areas of control, service and revenue.