Legislative Initiatives

Senate Bill 63 - May 2015 - Effective July 1, 2015

Senate Bill #63 was signed into law and made effective July 1st 2015. This will allow distilleries who wish to charge for a tour and give away one bottle (750ml) of liquor to the visitor the legal opportunity to do so provided the liquor is manufactured on the same premise as the tour and under a valid DSP permit. Also, the sample amount will increase from 0.5oz (currently, per person, per day) to 1.5oz per person/per day. This is a small step toward modernization of laws which govern our industry in the State of GA.

House Bill 460 - February 2015

We have a new bill – HB 460. This bill raises the tasting limits to 3 × 1/2oz per person per day, and would allow limited on-site sales (2 bottles per day per person). This bill is sponsored by Rep Ron Stephens and protocol should have put this bill in his committee (Economic Development) but somehow inadvertently ended back up in “Regulated Industries” committee. We are in the process of asking Speaker Ralston to please move it to Economic Development. We also have the right legislators signed on this bill – so it has a good chance of moving forward.

House Bill - Draft LC 362712 - February 2015

We have a new bill – HB 460. This bill raises the tasting limits to 3 × 1/2oz per person per day, and would allow limited on-site sales (2 bottles per day per person). This bill is sponsored by Rep Ron Stephens and protocol should have put this bill in his committee (Economic Development) but somehow inadvertently ended back up in “Regulated Industries” committee. We are in the process of asking Speaker Ralston to please move it to Economic Development. We also have the right legislators signed on this bill – so it has a good chance of moving forward.

The Department of Revenue’s explanation of this special events permit follows: “These Special Event permits are not for manufacturers. These permits are for organizations or businesses for the sale of alcoholic beverages for certain events which would otherwise require a retailer or retail dealers license. Manufacturers are not allowed to sell their product to consumers.”

HB 185 Tastings; retail sales of distilled spirits manufactured by a distillery to be sold on premises; authorize

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 8 of Chapter 4 of Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to tastings, so as to authorize retail sales of distilled spirits manufactured by a distillery to be sold on the premises of such distillery; to define certain terms; to require a license for retail sales; to specify the quantity of distilled spirits that may be sold at retail; to provide for the conditions under which such retail sales may be conducted; to provide for the collection of excise taxes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.