Bill Summary for S 236 (2015-2016)

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Summary date: 

Mar 10 2015

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2015-2016 Session
Senate Bill 236 (Public) Filed Tuesday, March 10, 2015
AN ACT TO ALLOW SPIRITUOUS LIQUOR TASTINGS AT ABC STORES.
Intro. by Gunn, Tarte.

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Bill summary

Identical to S 171, filed 3/4/15.

Amends Article 8 of GS Chapter 18B by enacting new GS 18B-800.1, which permits the tasting of spirituous liquor at ABC stores. For the purposes of this statute, defines permit holder to mean the person who holds (1) a distillery permit issued under GS 18B-1105, (2) a distiller broker representative permit, or (3) a distiller representative permit.

Authorizes a local board (a city or county ABC board, or local board created pursuant to the provisions of GS 18B-703) to allow a permit holder to hold a consumer tasting event at any ABC store within the local board's system under 16 specified conditions as provided in subsection (b) of new GS 18B-800.1. Those conditions: (1) require the permit holder to conduct the consumer tasting event and to be solely responsible for any violations of GS Chapter 18B that occur in connection with the tasting event, (2) set age restrictions for servers of spirituous liquor at the event, (3) limit the amount of the tasting sample served to consumers, (4) prohibit providing tasting samples to any visibly intoxicated consumer, (5) prohibit serving any tasting samples to any person under the legal age for consuming spirituous liquor, and (6) prohibit the permit holder from charging a consumer for any tasting sample. Provides additional criteria that must be met and conditions adhered to by permit holders conducting consumer tastings of spirituous liquor. Provides that any additional conditions imposed by the local board must be in writing and posted at the local board's administrative offices and at all ABC stores within the local board's system.

Prohibits  a permit holder from offering consideration to the local board, its board members, or its employees for any purpose related to the consumer tasting event, except as otherwise provided under this statue. Prohibits permit holders from using a consumer tasting event to make unlawful inducements to a local board.

Makes conforming changes to GS 18B-301 and GS 18B-1105(a).