10 LC
38 1075
House
Bill 1313
By:
Representatives Stephens of the
164th,
Benfield of the
85th,
Parrish of the
156th,
Dollar of the
45th,
Harbin of the
118th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
Article
2 of Chapter 5 of Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
state license requirements and regulations for manufacture, distribution, and
sale, so as to provide for definitions; to provide for craft brewers; to provide
for limited exceptions to the three-tier system for craft brewers; to provide
for tastings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
2 of Chapter 5 of Title 3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
state license requirements and regulations for manufacture, is amended by adding
a new Code section to read as follows:
"3-5-36.1
(a)
As used in this Code section, the term:
(1)
'Craft brewer' means a brewer of malt beverages that does not produce more than
250,000 barrels of malt beverage per year.
(2)
'Premises of the licensee' means property on which malt beverages are
manufactured by a licensed craft brewer or property located contiguous to the
property on which malt beverages are manufactured and owned by a licensed craft
brewer or by an affiliate of such licensed craft brewer.
(3)
'Premises of a tasting room' means the property on which a tasting room is
located, regardless of whether such property is owned by a licensed craft brewer
or used by a licensed craft brewer to manufacture malt beverages.
(4)
'Tasting' means an event at which samples of a craft brewer’s malt
beverages are provided to the public.
(5)
'Tasting room' means an outlet or location used for the promotion of a licensed
craft brewer's malt beverages at which samples of such malt beverages are
provided to the public. Samples of a licensed craft brewer's malt beverages in
a tasting room may be given complimentary or provided for a fee.
(b)
A craft brewer shall be licensed in the same manner as brewers. A limited
exception to the provisions of Code Sections 3-5-29 through 3-5-32 providing a
three-tier system for the distribution and sale of malt beverages shall exist
for craft brewers. A licensed craft brewer shall be permitted to:
(1)
Provide food on the premises of the licensee or the premises of a tasting room
at no charge. Food may also be provided by and brought to the premises of the
licensee or the premises of a tasting room by any person or on behalf of any
person to whom such permission has been granted by the licensed
brewer;
(2)
Serve as part of a tasting or private events other alcoholic beverages produced
by other manufacturers which are authorized for retail sale under this title,
including wine and malt beverages, provided that such alcoholic beverages are
purchased from a licensed wholesaler for consumption on the premises only; and
provided, further, that in addition to draft beer manufactured on the premises,
each craft brewer licensee shall offer for sale commercially available canned or
bottled malt beverages from licensed wholesalers;
(3)
To offer free samplings of the beer produced on its premises as part of tours
conducted pursuant to Code Section 3-5-38;
(4)
To rent a tasting room or other room on the premises of the licensee for
entertainment purposes;
(5)
To market, promote, and charge for tours conducted pursuant to Code Section
3-5-38; and
(6)
To provide to interested parties lists of retailers who sell the craft brewer's
products."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.