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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Carson, Gallison, Fogarty, Naughton, and Craven

     Date Introduced: January 07, 2016

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 3-1-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-1 entitled "General

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Provisions" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     3-1-1. Definitions. -- As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

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      (1) "Beverage" means any liquid which either by itself or by mixture with any other

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liquid or liquids is or may become fit for human consumption as a drink and which contains five-

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tenths of one per cent (.5%) or more of alcohol by weight.

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      (2) "Club" means a corporation subject to the provisions of chapter 6 of title 7, owning,

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hiring, or leasing a building or space in a building of such extent and character as may be suitable

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and adequate for the reasonable and comfortable accommodation of its members, and whose

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affairs and management are conducted by a board of directors, executive committee or other

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similar body chosen by the members at a meeting held for that purpose, none of whose members,

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officers, agents, or employees are paid directly or indirectly any compensation by way of profit

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from the distribution or sale of beverages to the members of the club or to its guests beyond the

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amount of any reasonable salary or wages as may be fixed and voted each year by the directors or

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other governing body.

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      (3) "Department" means the department of business regulation.

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      (4) "Director" means the director of the department of business regulation.

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      (5) "Division of taxation" means the division of taxation of the department of

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administration.

 

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      (6) "Farmer-winery" means any plant or premise where wine is produced, rectified,

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blended or fortified from fruits, flowers, herbs or vegetables.

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      (7) "Import" means at one time or in one transaction to take or cause to be taken into this

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state from outside the state any malt beverage in excess of eight (8) gallons or any vinous

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beverage or any beverage consisting in whole or in part of alcohol produced by distillation in

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excess of three (3) gallons.

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      (8) "Intoxicating beverage" means a beverage which contains more than three and two-

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tenths percent (3.2%) of alcohol by weight.

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      (9) "Malt beverage" means any beverage which is usually produced at breweries, as

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distinguished from distilleries.

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      (10) "Nonintoxicating beverage" means a beverage which contains not more than three

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and two-tenths percent (3.2%) of alcohol by weight.

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      (11) "Powdered alcohol" means alcohol prepared for sale or other distribution in a dry

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powder or crystalline or encapsulated in dry or crystalline form for direct consumption or

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reconstitution.

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     (11)(12) "Tavern" means any house where the principal business is the furnishing of food

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and sleeping accommodations.

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      (12)(13) "Victualing house" means any shop or place where a substantial part of the

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business is the furnishing of food for consumption at the place where it is furnished.

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      (13)(14) "Winegrower" means any person licensed to operate a farmer's winery under §

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3-6-1.1.

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      (14)(15) "Wines" means all fermented alcoholic beverages made from fruits, flowers,

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herbs, or vegetables and containing not more than twenty-four percent (24%) of alcohol by

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volume at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), except cider obtained by the alcohol

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fermentation of the juice of apples and containing not less than five tenths of one percent (.05%)

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or containing not more than six percent (6%), of alcohol by weight at sixty degrees Fahrenheit

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(60 degrees F) including but not limited to flavored, sparkling, or carbonated cider.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 3-8 of the General Laws entitled "Regulation of Sales" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     3-8-17. Possession or sale of powdered alcohol prohibited. -- (a) It is unlawful for a

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person, firm, or corporation to use, offer for use, purchase, offer to purchase, sell, offer to sell, or

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possess powdered alcohol, subject to the provisions of §3-11-5.

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     (b) This section shall not apply to the use of powdered alcohol for bona fide research

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purposes by: a health care provider that operates primarily for the purpose of conducting

 

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scientific research; a state institution; a private college or university; or a pharmaceutical or

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biotechnology company.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

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     This act would make the possession, purchase, or sale of powdered alcohol a crime

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punishable by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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