2014 -- H 7410

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LC003385

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

     Introduced By: Representatives Giarrusso, Morgan, McNamara, Azzinaro, and

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2014

     Referred To: House Corporations

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 3-7-4.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-7 entitled "Retail

Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     3-7-4.1. Holders of retail Class A licenses permitted to conduct wine and beer

samplings inside licensed premises. -- Any holder of a Class A retail license shall be permitted

to conduct at no charge to the consumer, inside the premises of the licensee, sample tastings of

wine (under 13% alcohol by volume) and beer (under 5.5% alcohol by volume) available for

purchase from the licensee's outlet. These samples shall not exceed one ounce servings of each

wine, the number of wines being limited to no more than four (4) products at any one tasting and

one ounce serving of each beer with the number of beer samplings being limited to two (2)

products at any one tasting. Furthermore, wine and beer samplings may not be conducted

simultaneously on the same Class A licensed premise. Each consumer shall be limited to no more

than one sample tasting of each product.

      It shall be required that the licensee provide, at no additional charge to the consumer,

food samplings to be included with the tasting of all wine and beer. Those food samplings not

consumed during the tasting shall not thereafter be offered for sale.

      The licensee shall control, without wholesaler or supplier participation, the dispensing of

all samples to prospective customers. The licensee may not hold more than ten (10) tasting events

in any thirty (30) day period. It shall be required that the licensee provide to the dispenser(s) of

said wine and beer samples, training in the service of alcoholic beverages by a recognized

training provider of alcoholic beverage service.

      Sampling events may not be promoted except on the licensed premises. It shall be

unlawful for any wholesaler, manufacturer, supplier or any other person or entity to participate or

provide anything or any service of value on account of or in conjunction with any such sampling.

It shall be unlawful for any tasting or combination of tastings to exceed more than four (4) hours

from start to finish and must be conducted during the normal hours of business.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

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     This act would require that a Class A licensee provide, at no additional charge to the

consumer, food samples with the tasting of wine and beer. It would also eliminate the

requirement that sampling events may not be promoted except on the licensed premises.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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