SB219 Alabama 2016 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Low Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: William “Bill” M. BeasleySenator
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2016
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: SB219 allows wine and distilled liquor tastings in certain Alabama liquor stores and requires ABC Board regulation.
What This Bill Does
It amends Section 28-3A-25 to permit tastings conducted by licensed manufacturers or their representatives inside stores licensed to sell liquor for off-premises consumption or inside state liquor stores. Tastings are free for consumers and limited by size, number of products, time window, and frequency. The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board would regulate the tasting procedures, and the number of stores allowed to host tastings would increase gradually over time. The act becomes law six months after passage.

Who It Affects
Licensed manufacturers or their representatives can conduct tastings inside eligible stores.
Retail licensees (off-premises liquor stores) and state liquor stores can host tastings for customers under ABC rules and with specified limits.

Key Provisions
Allows tastings of wine and distilled liquor by a licensed manufacturer or its representative inside the premises of a store licensed to sell liquor for off-premises consumption or inside a state liquor store.
Tastings are at no charge to the consumer and limited to: up to 1 ounce of wine per sample, up to 4 wines; up to 1/4 ounce of distilled spirits per sample, up to 2 spirits; start by 6:00 p.m. and last up to 2 hours; and only one tasting per premises per 24-hour period.
Tastings may be held in not more than 10% of state liquor stores in 2016, 20% in 2017, and not more than 28% beginning in 2018.
The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board would regulate the procedure for the tastings.
Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the sixth month after passage and governor approval; penalties for violations follow existing 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