SB312 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Rodger SmithermanSenator
Democrat
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: Alcoholic beverage licenses; to license storage of alcoholic beverages to dispense at special events, including government venues
Summary: SB312 creates two new license categories for Alabama alcohol sales—an event storage license for storing and transferring alcohol to special-event venues, and a government venue license for occasional on-site service at government properties—while updating fees and enforcement.
What This Bill Does
It allows eligible holders of certain special-event licenses to store alcohol at a designated permanent facility and transfer it to event venues, with unconsumed beverages returned to storage. It also creates a government venue license enabling sale and on-premises dispensing of alcohol at government-owned properties on an occasional-use basis. The bill sets eligibility, storage-location rules (up to three locations 100 miles apart), transfer tracking and recordkeeping requirements, and enforcement mechanisms, and it provides a path to convert existing special retail licenses to government venue licenses by late September 2026; it also adjusts license fees and requires board administration and rulemaking.

Who It Affects
Holders of specific special-event licenses (special events retail, nonprofit special events retail, 30-day special retail, and government venue licenses) who would apply for and operate an event storage license to store and transfer alcohol to event venues.
State and local government entities and government-owned or leased properties that host events, which could obtain a government venue license to sell and dispense alcohol on those properties on an occasional-use basis.

Key Provisions
Establishes an event storage license that authorizes holders of certain special-event licenses to store alcoholic beverages at a designated permanent location and transfer them to special-event venues as needed, with any unconsumed beverages returned to storage for future transfers.
Issuance of the event storage license begins on January 1, 2026, for a period not to exceed one year under terms set by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
Eligible applicants for the event storage license include holders of a special events retail license, nonprofit special events retail license, a 30 days or less special retail license, or a government venue license.
Allows storage at up to three storage locations per licensee, each location at least 100 miles apart, and prohibits transfers between storage locations.
Storage locations must be secured, monitored with access controls, temperature-controlled as appropriate, and comply with local zoning/building codes.
Requires detailed transfer tracking with a board-approved form, including licensee information, transfer dates, beverage type/brand/quantity, destination details, and certificates of compliance.
Requires three years of records for all purchases, storage, transfers, and sales, with electronic records allowed if readable on request; permits inspections by the board and designated agents with broad search authority.
Imposes enforcement tools for discrepancies (compliance warnings, immediate corrective action, or citations) and allows civil fines up to $1,000 per violation, with possible license revocation for repeated issues.
Creates a government venue license that allows sale and dispensing of liquor and wine from the board and beer/wine from wholesalers on government-owned or leased property for on-premises consumption, limited to occasional use.
Defines occasional use as events with open access or private events not requiring regular business hours; provides examples of eligible government-owned venues (e.g., civic centers, concert halls, stadiums, parks, historic properties).
Permits converting an existing special retail license to a government venue license no later than September 30, 2026, if all issuance requirements are met.
Sets specific license fee amounts for various licenses, including Event Storage License ($550) and Government Venue License ($250), along with revised fees for other license types; fees due before issuance or renewal.
Authorizes local counties or municipalities to levy taxes or privileges on licenses permitted by the act, conditioned on issuance by the board, while prohibiting taxes on liquor stores.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco