| Chapter 132 |
| 2024 -- S 2698 Enacted 06/17/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES |
Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Cano, Lawson, Tikoian, and LaMountain |
| Date Introduced: March 01, 2024 |
| 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 (¼ 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, once during the month of March, once during the month of August, 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. |
| ======== |
| LC005013 |
| ======== |