SB294: SB294 Distilled Spirits; sale of consumable hemp products by retail dealers in distilled spirits; authorize

Under current Georgia law, retail dealers in distilled spirits operate under rules in Chapter 4 of Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. This bill adds a new section to that chapter clarifying that nothing in the distilled spirits law, or the rules written to enforce it, stops a licensed liquor retailer from also getting a retail consumable hemp establishment license. Once a distilled spirits retailer obtains that separate hemp license, the bill says the sale of consumable hemp products at that store would be governed entirely by the Georgia Hemp Farming Act (Chapter 23 of Title 2) and the Department of Agriculture's rules under that law, not by alcohol regulations. The bill borrows its definitions of 'consumable hemp product' and 'retail consumable hemp establishment license' directly from existing hemp law. It also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 3-4-4) allowing licensed distilled spirits retailers to also hold a retail consumable hemp establishment license.
• Clarifies that distilled spirits laws and related regulations cannot be used to block a liquor retailer from selling consumable hemp products.
• Specifies that once a liquor retailer gets the hemp license, its hemp product sales are regulated only under the Georgia Hemp Farming Act and Department of Agriculture rules, not alcohol law.
• Adopts the existing definitions of 'consumable hemp product' and 'retail consumable hemp establishment license' from Georgia's hemp law (O.C.G.A. § 2-23-3).
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new provision.

Retail stores currently licensed to sell distilled spirits, such as liquor stores, would be directly affected because they could now also apply for a hemp retail license. The Department of Agriculture, which regulates hemp product sales, and state alcohol regulators overseeing distilled spirits retailers are also implicated.

If enacted, liquor stores across Georgia could add consumable hemp products, like hemp derived beverages or edibles, to their shelves without needing separate approval under alcohol law, potentially expanding where Georgians can buy these products and simplifying licensing for retailers who want to sell both.

• Section 1 adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 3-4-4, to Chapter 4 of Title 3, the chapter governing distilled spirits retailers.
• Subsection (a) borrows definitions for 'consumable hemp product' and 'retail consumable hemp establishment license' from O.C.G.A. § 2-23-3, part of the Georgia Hemp Farming Act.
• Subsection (b) states that distilled spirits laws and rules cannot prohibit a licensed liquor retailer from obtaining a hemp retail license and selling consumable hemp products.
• Subsection (b) further specifies that once licensed, hemp product sales by the liquor retailer are governed exclusively by the Georgia Hemp Farming Act and Department of Agriculture rules.
• Section 3 repeals all laws in conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)Primary sponsor
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)

• hemp products
• alcohol retail licensing
• distilled spirits law
• Georgia Hemp Farming Act