Georgia CommonsSB 229: Alcoholic Beverages; the issuance of wholesale consumable hemp licenses to wholesale dealers of alcoholic beverages; prohibit
Last action February 21, 2025 · Senate Read and Referred
A Georgia Senate bill would bar wholesale alcoholic beverage dealers, and businesses affiliated with them, from getting state licenses to sell consumable hemp products, and would ban them from distributing hemp products at all.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia currently issues separate wholesale licenses for consumable hemp products (things like hemp-derived drinks and edibles) and for alcoholic beverages. Some alcohol wholesalers have also sought hemp wholesale licenses to distribute both kinds of products. This bill would close that door. It amends the Georgia Hemp Farming Act (O.C.G.A. Chapter 23 of Title 2) to stop the state Department of Revenue from issuing a wholesale consumable hemp license to any business that already holds a wholesale alcoholic beverage license, or to any business affiliated with one. It also adds a new section to the alcoholic beverage code (O.C.G.A. Title 3, Chapter 3) directly prohibiting licensed wholesale alcohol dealers from selling or distributing consumable hemp products at all. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a separate effective date beyond the standard process for bills becoming law.
What the bill does
- Blocks the Department of Revenue from issuing a wholesale consumable hemp license to any business licensed as a wholesale alcoholic beverage dealer.
- Extends that same license ban to businesses affiliated with a licensed wholesale alcohol dealer, not just the dealer itself.
- Adds a new Code section making it illegal for any licensed wholesale alcohol dealer to sell or distribute consumable hemp products.
- Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these new restrictions.
Who it affects
Wholesale dealers of alcoholic beverages in Georgia, companies affiliated with those dealers, and any business currently distributing or hoping to distribute both alcohol and consumable hemp products through the same wholesale operation. The Department of Revenue, which issues these licenses, is also affected.
Why it matters
Wholesale alcohol distributors would be cut off from the consumable hemp market, keeping the two supply chains separate. Companies that combined alcohol and hemp distribution, or planned to, would need to restructure or drop one line of business to stay licensed in Georgia.
Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 2-23-6.3 by adding subsection (e), barring the department from issuing a wholesale consumable hemp license to a licensed wholesale alcohol dealer or its affiliates.
- Section 2 adds new O.C.G.A. § 3-3-35, prohibiting licensed wholesale alcohol dealers from selling or distributing consumable hemp products, using the definition of that term from § 2-23-3.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“No wholesale consumable hemp license shall be issued by the department pursuant to this Code section to any person that is a licensed wholesale dealer of alcoholic beverages under the provisions of Title 3 or to any person that is affiliated with such a licensed wholesale dealer.”
“No licensed wholesale dealer shall sell or otherwise distribute consumable hemp products, as such term is defined in Code Section 2-23-3.”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
- Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
Topics
- consumable hemp
- alcohol wholesalers
- hemp regulation
- alcoholic beverage licensing