House Bill 210 By: Representatives Smith of the 18th, Carpenter of the 4th, Hagan of the 156th, Franklin of the 160th, Cannon of the 172nd, 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 revise provisions relating to retail dealers of alcoholic beverages; to authorize the issuance or holding of a beneficial interest in additional retail dealer licenses; to require that the new location of a licensee of such additional retail dealer license be located in the same county as the location previously occupied; to increase the number of tasting events a retail package liquor store may conduct; to provide an effective date; to provide for related matters; 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 revising Code Section 3-4-21, relating to prohibition of holding or having beneficial interest in more than two retail dealer licenses, as follows: "3-4-21. (a)(1) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (d) of this Code section, no No person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in, regardless of the degree of such interest, more than two retail dealer licenses, nor shall any person be permitted to have a beneficial interest in more than two retail dealer licenses issued under this chapter, regardless of the degree of such interest. (b)(1) In addition to the two retail dealer licenses that a person may be issued or have a beneficial interest in pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section and subject to the limitations provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may be issued or have a beneficial interest in additional retail dealer licenses provided that the place of business in connection with each such additional retail dealer license is located in a county that, as of the most recent fiscal year, collected $750 million or more in tax revenue. For purposes of this paragraph, the determination of whether a county has, as of the most recent fiscal year, collected $750 million or more in tax revenue shall be made at the time a person applies for such additional retail dealer license or at the time a person obtains a beneficial interest in such additional retail dealer license and such additional retail dealer license shall not be impacted by the amount of tax revenue collected by such county in future fiscal years. (2) The number of additional retail dealer licenses that a person may be issued or have a beneficial interest in pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be as follows: (A) Prior to July 1, 2026, no person shall be issued more than one such additional retail dealer license; (B) Prior to July 1, 2027, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than two such additional retail dealer licenses; (C) Prior to July 1, 2028, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than three such additional retail dealer licenses; (D) Prior to July 1, 2029, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than four such additional retail dealer licenses; (E) Prior to July 1, 2030, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than five such additional retail dealer licenses; (F) Prior to July 1, 2031, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than six such additional retail dealer licenses; and (G) On and after July 1, 2032, no person shall be issued or have a beneficial interest in more than seven such additional retail dealer licenses. (b)(c) As used in For purposes of this Code section: (1) The term 'person' shall include all members of a retail dealer licensee's family; and the term 'family' shall include any person related to the holder of the license within the first degree of consanguinity and affinity as computed according to the canon law. (2) The beneficiaries of a trust shall be considered to have a beneficial interest in any business forming a part of the trust estate. (c)(d) Nothing contained in this Code section shall prohibit the reissuance of a valid retail dealer license if the license has been: (1) Held prior to the creation of any of the above relationships by marriage; or (2) Held prior to April 3, 1978." SECTION 2. Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 3-4-21.1, relating to requirement for retail license and application of existing license to new location, as follows: "3-4-21.1. (a) A separate retail license shall be required for each place of business. (b) In cases where a retail licensee is moving his their package sales business to a different location, he such licensee shall be authorized to make application to have the license for the location previously occupied apply to the new location. Anything contained in Code Section 3-4-21 to the contrary notwithstanding, if the retail licensee complies with all other requirements of law, the commissioner shall authorize the existing license to apply to the new location; provided, however, that, if the retail license in connection with the location previously occupied is an additional retail dealer license issued pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 3-4-21, such license shall only apply to the new location if the new location is located in the same county as the location previously occupied." SECTION 3. Said title is further amended by revising Code Section 3-15-2, relating to terms and conditions for limited tasting events, as follows: "3-15-2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, in all counties and municipalities in which the sale of alcoholic beverages is lawful, retail package liquor stores shall be authorized to conduct up to 52 104 tasting events per calendar year, subject to the following terms and conditions: (1) A tasting event shall only take place on the licensed premises and only at times at which such alcoholic beverages may be lawfully sold on such licensed premises; (2) Only one tasting event per day may be held on the licensed premises and such tasting event shall not exceed four hours; (3) Only one type of alcoholic beverage may be served at a tasting event, either malt beverages, wine, or distilled spirits; provided, however, that more than one brand of such type of alcoholic beverage may be offered so long as not more than four packages are open at any one time; (4) If the tasting event is for malt beverages, a consumer shall not be served more than eight ounces of malt beverages during such tasting event. If the tasting event is for wine, a consumer shall not be served more than five ounces of wine during such tasting event. If the tasting event is for distilled spirits, a consumer shall not be served more than one and one-half ounces of distilled spirits during such tasting event; (5) Only alcoholic beverages that the licensee is licensed to sell on the licensed premises may be offered as part of a tasting event, and such alcoholic beverages shall be part of the licensee's inventory; (6) Only food that is lawful to sell on the licensed premises, under this title or under any rules or regulations of the commissioner, may be served as part of a tasting event. Such food shall be offered at no cost to the consumer; (7) Any operator or employee of the licensee may refuse to provide any brand, type, or quantity of alcoholic beverage to any consumer; (8) The licensee shall notify the governing authority of the county or municipality in which the licensed premises is located prior to holding a tasting event; (9) Any broken package containing alcoholic beverages on the licensed premises that is not licensed for retail sales for consumption on the premises shall be kept locked in a secure room or cabinet by the operator of the licensed premises except when in use during a tasting event; (10) Representatives and salespersons of manufacturers or wholesalers may attend a tasting event; provided, however, that such representatives and salespersons shall not host the tasting event, pour any alcoholic beverage, or provide anything of value to any consumer or to the licensee or an employee of a licensee; and (11) Any other terms, conditions, and limitations as may be required or imposed by the governing authority of the county or municipality in which the licensed premises is located." SECTION 4. This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025. SECTION 5. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.