---
title: HB 1229. Alcoholic beverages; authorize a local governing authority to allow certain museums within its jurisdiction to sell alcoholic beverages at the same times on Sundays as other retailers
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1229
cite_as: HB 1229, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1229
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1229.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1229/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72940
date: 2026-02-09
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1229.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1229
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-05
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Ron Stephens
- Kasey Carpenter
- Dale Washburn
- Buddy DeLoach
- Lauren McDonald
- Al Williams
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1229/2025
upstream_id: 2109976
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- alcohol sales
- Sunday alcohol sales
- museums
- local government authority
- historic preservation
---
# HB 1229. Alcoholic beverages; authorize a local governing authority to allow certain museums within its jurisdiction to sell alcoholic beverages at the same times on Sundays as other retailers
## Text
House Bill 1229
By: Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Carpenter of the 4th, Washburn of the 144th,
DeLoach of the 167th, McDonald III of the 26th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to alcoholic beverages,
so as to authorize a local governing authority to allow certain museums within its jurisdiction
to sell alcoholic beverages at the same times on Sundays as other retailers; to provide for a
definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to alcoholic beverages, is
amended by adding a new subsection to Code Section 3-3-7, relating to local authorization
and regulation of sales of alcoholic beverages on Sunday, to read as follows:
"(t)(1) As used in this subsection, the term 'museum' means an institution open to the
public in which objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest are stored and
exhibited.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, in any county or municipality in which
the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises has been authorized on
Sundays pursuant to a referendum held under this Code section, the governing authority
of such county or municipality may by adoption of a resolution or an ordinance authorize
the sale of alcoholic beverages by any museum located primarily in a building or district
on the Georgia Register of Historic Places, and which is licensed for the sale of alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises at all times that sales of alcoholic beverages
by any other retailers are lawful on Sundays within the unincorporated area of such
county or within the corporate limits of such municipality."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would let counties and cities allow historic museums to sell alcohol on Sundays during the same hours as other retailers, if local voters have already approved Sunday alcohol sales.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, local governments can hold a referendum to let restaurants and other retailers sell alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption on Sundays, but the times allowed for other kinds of venues, including museums, are governed separately. This bill adds a new provision to Georgia's alcohol law (O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7) that lets a county or city government, by passing a resolution or ordinance, extend those same Sunday sale hours to certain museums.
The museum must be located primarily in a building or district listed on the Georgia Register of Historic Places and must already hold a license to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption. This option is only available in places where voters have already approved Sunday alcohol sales through a referendum. The bill defines 'museum' as a public institution that stores and exhibits objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.
### What it does
- Adds a new subsection to Georgia's alcohol law (O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7) letting local governments authorize qualifying museums to sell alcohol on Sundays during the same hours as other retailers.
- Limits eligibility to museums located primarily in a building or district on the Georgia Register of Historic Places that already hold an on-premises alcohol license.
- Requires that the county or municipality has already approved Sunday alcohol sales for other retailers through a local referendum before this option applies.
- Defines 'museum' for purposes of this provision as a public institution that stores and exhibits historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural objects.
- Lets the local governing authority act by resolution or ordinance rather than requiring a new public vote specific to museums.
### Who it affects
Museums housed in historic buildings or districts that hold on-premises alcohol licenses, county and city governing authorities that would decide whether to extend the hours, and residents and visitors in counties or cities that have already approved Sunday alcohol sales.
### Why it matters
Museums in historic buildings that already serve alcohol could gain extra Sunday selling hours matching other retailers, potentially supporting events, tours, or receptions. The change only applies where local voters already approved Sunday sales, and only local officials, not voters directly, decide whether to extend it to museums.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds subsection (t) to O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7, defining 'museum' as a public institution exhibiting objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest.
- Section 1 requires the museum be located primarily in a building or district on the Georgia Register of Historic Places and licensed for on-premises alcohol sales.
- Section 1 requires that the county or municipality has already held a referendum authorizing Sunday alcohol sales before local officials may extend hours to museums.
- Section 1 allows the local governing authority to act by resolution or ordinance to match museum Sunday sale hours to those of other retailers.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without his signature.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-05)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-09)
- Sponsors: Ron Stephens, Kasey Carpenter, Dale Washburn, Buddy DeLoach, Lauren McDonald, Al Williams
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72940
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1229.md?full=1