Prohibition repeal creates state liquor licensing (1933-1934)
The 21st Amendment, ratified December 5, 1933, ended nationwide Prohibition. New York passed the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law in 1934 and created the State Liquor Authority to license alcohol sales.
Legal bars and restaurants opened under state-issued licences, replacing illegal speakeasies.
The framework has licensed every alcohol-serving establishment in New York for nearly a century.
The October 4, 2026 licence issued to Bebe Bar Restaurant is the direct product of this 1934 system.
