2025 -- S 0073

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LC000237

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE

LICENSES

     Introduced By: Senators Felag, LaMountain, Ciccone, Tikoian, Britto, E Morgan, and
Lauria

     Date Introduced: January 23, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 3-6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-6 entitled "Manufacturing

and Wholesale Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     3-6-1. Manufacturer’s license.

     (a) A manufacturer’s license authorizes the holder to establish and operate a brewery,

distillery, or winery at the place described in the license for the manufacture of beverages within

this state. The license does not authorize more than one of the activities of operator of a brewery or

distillery or winery and a separate license shall be required for each plant.

     (b) The license also authorizes the sale at wholesale, at the licensed place by the

manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant, to another license holder and the transportation

and delivery from the place of sale to a licensed place or to a common carrier for that delivery. The

license does authorize the sale of beverages for consumption on premises where sold; provided that

the manufacturer does not sell an amount in excess of forty-eight ounces (48 oz.) of malt beverage

or four and one-half ounces (4.5 oz.) of distilled spirits, or fifteen ounces (15 oz.) of wine per

visitor, per day, or a combination not greater than three (3) drinks where a drink is defined as up to

sixteen ounces (16 oz.) of beer or one and one-half ounces (1.5 oz.) of spirits, or five ounces (5 oz.)

of wine of spirits, for consumption on the premises. The license also authorizes the sale of

beverages produced on the premises in an amount not in excess of forty-eight (48) twelve-ounce

(12 oz.) bottles or cans or forty-eight (48) sixteen-ounce (16 oz.) bottles or cans of malt beverages,

or one one-sixth (1/6) barrel keg of malt beverage, or one thousand five hundred milliliters (1,500

ml) of distilled spirits per visitor, or three (3) seven hundred fifty milliliter (750 ml) bottles of wine

or the equivalent amount of wine sold by the can or other container, per day, to be sold in containers

that may hold no more than seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) each. These beverages may be sold to the

consumers for off-premises consumption, and shall be sold pursuant to the laws governing retail

Class A establishments. The containers for the sale of beverages for off-premises consumption shall

be sealed. The license does not authorize the sale of beverages in this state for delivery outside this

state in violation of the law of the place of delivery. The license holder may provide to visitors, in

conjunction with a tour or tasting, samples, clearly marked as samples, not to exceed three hundred

seventy-five milliliters (375 ml) per visitor for distilled spirits and seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) per

visitor for malt beverages at the licensed plant by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed

plant to visitors for off-premises consumption. The license does not authorize providing samples

to a visitor of any alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption that are not manufactured at

the licensed plant. All manufacturer licenses conducting retail sales or providing samples shall be

subject to compliance with alcohol server training and liquor liability insurance requirements set

forth in §§ 3-7-6.1 and 3-7-29 and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

     (c) The annual fee for the license is three thousand dollars ($3,000) for a distillery

producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500)

for a distillery producing less than or equal to fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year; five

hundred dollars ($500) for a brewery; and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for a winery

producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500)

per year for a winery producing less than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year. All those

fees are prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year and shall be paid to the

general treasurer for the use of the state.

     SECTION 2. 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 -- MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE

LICENSES

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     This act would allow for the holder of a manufacturer’s license to be able to sell one one-

sixth (1/6) barrel keg of malt beverage, produced on the premises, per day.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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