2022 -- H 7822

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LC005026

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- GENERAL PROVISIONS -

MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE LICENSES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, Edwards, Potter, and C Lima

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2022

     Referred To: House Small Business

     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.

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     As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

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     (1) "Alcohol inhalation" means a method of administering ethanol or alcoholic beverages

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directly into the respiratory system, with the aid of a vaporizing or nebulizing device.

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     (2) "Alcohol-without-liquid device" means a device, machine, apparatus, or appliance that

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is designed or marketed for the purpose of inhaling alcohol vapor or otherwise introducing alcohol

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in any form into the human body including, but not limited to, introducing a heating element to

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convert the alcohol to a vapor or by mixing alcohol with pure or diluted oxygen, or another gas, to

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produce an alcoholic vapor that an individual can inhale or snort. An alcohol-without-liquid device

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does not include an inhaler, nebulizer, atomizer, or other device that is designed and intended by

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the manufacturer to dispense a prescribed or over-the-counter medication.

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     (3) "Beverage" means any liquid that either by itself or by mixture with any other liquid or

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liquids, is, or may become, fit for human consumption as a drink and that contains five-tenths of

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

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     (4) "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 affairs

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

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chosen by the members at a meeting held for that purpose, none of whose members, officers, agents,

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or employees are paid directly, or indirectly, any compensation by way of profit from the

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

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

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governing body.

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

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

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

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administration.

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     (8) "Farmer-brewery" or "Farmer-distillery" means any farmland as defined in § 44-27-2

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where beer or distilled spirits are produced, rectified, blended, or fortified from fruit, flowers, herbs

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or vegetables.

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     (8)(9) "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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     (9)(10) "Import" means at one time, or in one transaction, to take, or cause to be taken, into

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this 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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     (10)(11) "Intoxicating beverage" means a beverage that contains more than three and two-

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tenths percent (3.2%) of alcohol by weight.

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     (11)(12) "Malt beverage" means any beverage that is usually produced at breweries, as

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distinguished from distilleries.

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     (12)(13) "Nonintoxicating beverage" means a beverage that contains not more than three

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

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     (13)(14) "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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     (14)(15) "Tavern" means any house where the principal business is the furnishing of food

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and sleeping accommodations.

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     (15)(16) "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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     (16)(17) "Winegrower" means any person licensed to operate a farmer's winery under § 3-

 

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6-1.1.

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     (17)(18) "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 volume

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

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

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than six percent (6%) of alcohol by weight at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), including,

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but not limited to, flavored, sparkling, or carbonated cider.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 3-6 of the General Laws entitled "Manufacturing and Wholesale

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Licenses" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     3-6-1.3. Farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery licenses -- Fee.

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     (a) For the purpose of encouraging the development of domestic farm breweries and farm

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distilleries, the department shall issue a farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery license to any farm

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based brewery or distillery in the state and to applying partnerships and to applying corporations

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organized under the laws of any other state of the United States and admitted to do business in this

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state.

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     (b) A farmer may operate a farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery under any conditions the

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department may prescribe by regulation.

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     (c) A farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery must be located on a farm, as defined in § 44-27-

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2, and grow at least one principal crop to be used in the production of malt beverages or distilled

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spirits produced on the farm, including, but not limited to, barley, wheat, hops, and fruit.

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     (d) A farmer may sell beer or distilled spirits under his or her label and fermented by him

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or her or another brewery or distillery licensed by the state. He or she may sell beer or distilled

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spirits:

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     (1) At wholesale to any person holding a valid license to manufacture alcoholic beverages;

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     (2) At wholesale to any person holding a valid wholesaler's and importer's license under

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§§ 3-6-9 through 3-6-11;

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     (3) At wholesale to any person holding a valid farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery license

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under this section;

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     (4) At retail by the bottle or can to consumers for consumption off premises;

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     (5) At wholesale to any person in any state or territory in which the importation and sale

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of beer or distilled spirits is not prohibited by law;

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     (6) At wholesale to any person in any foreign country;

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     (7) At wholesale to liquor dealers holding a valid license under the provisions of chapter 6

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of title 3;

 

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     (8) At wholesale to restaurants holding a valid license under the provisions of chapter 6 of

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title 3; and

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     (9) At retail by the bottle, can, or by the glass for consumption on premises.

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     (f) A farmer may not sell at retail to consumers any beer or distilled spirits product not

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fermented in the state and sold under the brand name of the farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery.

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     (g) A farmer may serve complimentary samples of beer or distilled spirits produced by the

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brewery or distillery where the beverage is fermented in the state and sold under the brand name.

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     (h) All beer or distilled spirits sold by a licensee shall be sold under any conditions and

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with any labels or other marks to identify the producer as the department may prescribe.

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     (i) Every applicant for a farmer-brewery or farmer-distillery license shall, at the time of

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filing an application, pay a license fee based on a reasonable estimate of the amount of beer or

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distilled spirits to be produced during the year covered by the license. Persons holding farmer-

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brewery or farmer-distillery licenses shall report annually at the end of the year the amount of beer

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or distilled spirits produced during that year. If the total amount of beer or distilled spirits produced

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during the year is less than the amount permitted by the fee already paid, the state shall reimburse

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the licensee for whatever fee was paid in excess. If the total amount produced during the year

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exceeds the amount permitted by the fee already paid, the licensee shall pay whatever additional

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fee is owing.

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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 -- GENERAL PROVISIONS -

MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE LICENSES

***

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     This act would authorize the issuance of farmer-brewery and farmer-distillery licenses to

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qualifying farms subject to conditions and regulations issued by the department of business

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regulation.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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