HB294 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Margie WilcoxRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Alcoholic beverages, permit a retail licensee and state liquor store to conduct distilled liquor and wine tastings, Sec. 28-3A-25 am'd.

Summary

HB294 would allow retail licensees and state liquor stores to offer on-site wine and distilled liquor tastings under a new tasting license with fees and board-approved procedures.

What This Bill Does

It authorizes tastings of wine and distilled spirits at licensed retail locations and state liquor stores, under rules controlled by the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. It creates a tasting license for retail licensees and requires a fee. Tastings must occur inside the premises, be free to consumers, and follow precise sample limits and timing (up to one ounce per wine, up to four wines per tasting, up to a quarter-ounce per distilled spirit, up to two spirits per tasting, beginning by 6:00 pm and lasting no more than two hours). The bill also amends the relevant alcohol law (Section 28-3A-25) to implement these tastings and related licensing and enforcement provisions.

Who It Affects

• Retail licensees and state liquor stores, who would be permitted to conduct wine and distilled liquor tastings on their premises under a board-approved tasting license and subject to a fee.
• Consumers attending tastings, who would be able to sample small amounts of wine and spirits under the defined limits and conditions.

Key Provisions

• Allows a retail licensee or state liquor store to conduct tastings of wine and distilled spirits available for purchase with written approval from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
• Imposes a fee for a tasting license for retail licensees and requires the ABC Board to control the tasting procedures.
• Permits tastings to be conducted at both retail license locations and state liquor stores, with specific sample size and duration limits (wine: up to one ounce per sample, up to four wines per tasting; spirits: up to one-quarter ounce per sample, up to two spirits per tasting; tastings start by 6:00 pm and end within two hours).
• Amends Section 28-3A-25 to codify the tasting framework and related licensing, regulatory, and enforcement provisions under Alabama law.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Alcoholic Beverages