| Chapter 177 |
| 2017 -- S 0903 SUBSTITUTE B Enacted 07/13/2017 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES |
| Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Pearson, Lombardi, and Lombardo |
| Date Introduced: May 11, 2017 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 3-7-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail |
| Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 3-7-4.1. Holders of retail Class A licenses permitted to conduct wine, beer, and |
| distilled spirit samplings inside licensed premises. |
| Any holder of a Class A retail license shall be permitted to conduct at no charge to the |
| consumer, inside the premises of the licensee, sample tastings of wine (under 13% alcohol by |
| volume), beer (under 5.5% alcohol by volume), and distilled spirits available for purchase from |
| the licensee's outlet. These samples shall not exceed one-ounce servings of each wine, the number |
| of wines being limited to no more than four (4) products at any one tasting; and one-ounce |
| servings of each beer, with the number of beer samplings being limited to two (2) products at any |
| one tasting; and one-quarter-ounce servings (1/4 oz) of each distilled spirit, the number of |
| distilled spirits being limited to no more than two (2) products at any one tasting. Furthermore, |
| wine, beer, and distilled spirits samplings may not be conducted simultaneously on the same |
| Class A licensed premise. Each consumer shall be limited to no more than one sample tasting of |
| each product. The licensee may elect on one occasion annually, between May 1st through May |
| 15th of each calendar year and once during the month of November only, to serve unlimited |
| samples of wine products available for purchase from the licensee's outlet. |
| It shall be required that the licensee provide, at no charge to the consumer, food |
| samplings to be included with the tasting of all wine and beer. Those food samplings not |
| consumed during the tasting shall not thereafter be offered for sale. |
| The licensee shall control, without wholesaler or supplier participation, the dispensing of |
| all samples to prospective customers. The licensee may not hold more than ten (10) tasting events |
| in any thirty-day (30) period. It shall be required that the licensee provide to the dispenser(s) of |
| said wine and beer samples, training in the service of alcoholic beverages by a recognized |
| training provider of alcoholic beverage service. |
| Sampling events may not be promoted except on the licensed premises. It shall be |
| unlawful for any wholesaler, manufacturer, supplier, or any other person or entity to participate or |
| provide anything or any service of value on account of or in conjunction with any such sampling. |
| It shall be unlawful for any tasting, or combination of tastings, to exceed more than four (4) hours |
| from start to finish and must be conducted during the normal hours of business. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC002666/SUB B/2 |
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