HB1229: HB1229 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

Georgia law currently lets counties and municipalities hold referendums to allow Sunday alcohol sales for on-premises consumption, with hours set locally. This bill adds a new provision letting a local governing authority go further for a specific type of institution: museums located primarily in a building or district listed on the Georgia Register of Historic Places that already hold a license to sell alcohol for on-premises consumption. Where Sunday alcohol sales have already been authorized by referendum, the county or city government could pass a resolution or ordinance letting such museums sell alcohol on Sundays during the same hours other retailers are allowed to sell. The bill defines 'museum' as a public institution that stores and exhibits objects of historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural interest. The change would take effect immediately once signed by the Governor or otherwise becomes law.

• Adds a new subsection to Georgia's alcohol law (O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7) letting local governments allow certain museums to sell alcohol on Sundays.
• 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 sales license.
• Requires that the county or municipality has already approved Sunday alcohol sales for on-premises consumption through a referendum before this option applies.
• Lets the local governing authority act by resolution or ordinance rather than requiring a new public vote for the museum exception.
• Defines 'museum' for purposes of this provision as a public institution exhibiting historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural objects.
• Sets the law to take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law without a signature.

Museums housed in historic buildings or districts that hold on-premises alcohol licenses, county and municipal governments that already allow Sunday alcohol sales, and local voters or officials who previously approved Sunday sales through referendum.

Historic museums that already sell alcohol on-site could extend those sales to Sunday hours matching other retailers, potentially boosting museum revenue and visitor amenities, while local governments gain a new option to expand alcohol availability without holding another referendum.

• Section 1 adds subsection (t) to O.C.G.A. § 3-3-7, defining 'museum' as an institution open to the public exhibiting historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural objects.
• Section 1 restricts the new authority to counties or municipalities that have already approved Sunday on-premises alcohol sales by referendum.
• Section 1 requires the museum to be located primarily in a building or district on the Georgia Register of Historic Places and already licensed for on-premises alcohol sales.
• Section 1 lets the local governing authority allow such museums to sell alcohol on Sundays during the same hours other retailers can lawfully sell.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as the date of the Governor's approval or the date the bill otherwise becomes law without approval.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-09House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-05House Hopper (House)

• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)Primary sponsor
• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-004)
• Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)

• alcoholic beverages
• Sunday alcohol sales
• museums
• local government authority
• historic preservation