§ 55-b. Manner of changing beer prices to wholesalers and retail licensees. 1. It is hereby declared as the policy of the state that the sale and distribution of beer shall be subject to certain restrictions, prohibitions and regulations which tend to maintain an orderly market and prevent destructive competition. The necessity of the provisions of this section is therefore declared as a matter of legislative necessity. 2. No brewer or beer wholesaler may increase the price per case, draft package or special package of beer sold to beer wholesalers or retail licensees until at least one hundred eighty days have elapsed since his last price decrease on such case, draft package or special package, provided, however, that the brewer or beer wholesaler may increase any price established by him at any time in the amount of any direct tax increase on beer or three percent of the final cash invoice amount to reasonably remunerate such wholesaler for surcharges and fees incurred for business payment card payments, as provided for by paragraph j of subdivision one of section one hundred one-aaa of this chapter, or on containers thereof, actually paid by such brewer or beer wholesaler, and provided further, however, that if a brewer or beer wholesaler has increased his price to beer wholesalers at any time pursuant to the provisions hereof, the beer wholesaler may increase the price established by him on such package in an amount equal to the direct price increase to the beer wholesaler. The price per case, draft package or special package of beer sold to beer wholesalers or retail licensees on the first day of the month following the effective date of this act shall be deemed the base price, to or from which price increases or decreases may be made in accordance with the provisions of this section. 3. The authority is authorized and empowered to do such acts, prescribe such forms and adopt rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper to carry into effect the purpose and provisions of this section and to prevent circumvention or evasion thereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and in addition to its other powers, the authority may, in its discretion, adopt rules or regulations: a. Particularizing the standards of packaging which constitute a case, special package and draft package of beer. b. Defining the guidelines relating to "price" within the purview of this section which guidelines may provide, without limitation thereto, that,

(1) Whenever a brewer or beer wholesaler decreases his price per case, draft package or special package of beer to beer wholesalers, the beer wholesaler may decrease his price to retail licensees on such reduced item or items by no more than the amount in dollars and cents by which the brewer or beer wholesaler has decreased the price per case, draft package or special package to the beer wholesaler.

(2) Whenever the price per case, draft package or special package of beer is increased to retail licensees by action of the brewer or beer wholesaler following a price decrease, the brewer or beer wholesaler may not increase its price to retailers on any item or items more than one-half of the price decrease previously granted, nor may the brewer or beer wholesaler selling such item or items to the beer wholesaler increase its price to such beer wholesaler more than one-half of the price decrease previously granted, provided, however, such restrictions on price increases by both brewers and beer wholesalers shall remain in effect for the period of one hundred eighty days.

(3) Whenever a brewer or beer wholesaler lowers its price per case, draft package or special package of beer to any beer wholesaler in New York state it must lower its price on each item or items by the same amount to all beer wholesalers throughout New York state to whom such item or items is offered for sale.

(4) Whenever a brewer or beer wholesaler, following a price decrease, raises its price per case, draft package or special package of beer to any beer wholesaler in New York state it must raise its price on each item or items by the same amount to all beer wholesalers throughout New York state to whom such item or items are offered for sale. c. Providing that for good cause shown to its satisfaction, the authority may grant waivers to licensees adversely affected by this section, under such terms and conditions as the authority deems appropriate. d. Requiring licensees to file with the authority reports certifying their prices of beer, the dates of any changes in the price of any item of beer, and such other matters as the authority may determine from time to time to be necessary to disclose accurately the price of beer during the previous twelve months and requiring licensees to keep forms, records and memoranda prescribed by the authority. 4. For the purpose of defraying the expenses incurred in the administration of this section, there shall be paid to the authority by each person hereafter applying for a license as brewer or beer wholesaler the following sums: brewer whose annual production is sixty thousand barrels per year or more, one thousand dollars; brewer whose annual production is less than sixty thousand barrels per year, one hundred dollars; beer wholesaler, one hundred dollars. A like sum shall be paid by each person hereafter applying for the issuance or renewal of any such license and such sum shall accompany the application and the license fee prescribed by this chapter for such license or renewal thereof, as the case may be. The sums prescribed by this subdivision shall not be pro-rated for any portion of the license fee and shall have no refund value. 5. For any violation of any provision of this section or of any rule or regulation duly promulgated under this section the authority may revoke, cancel or suspend a license or recover, as provided in section one hundred twelve of this chapter, the penal sum of the bond filed by the licensee.