2016 -- S 2772

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Ruggerio, Walaska, P Fogarty, and Lombardo

     Date Introduced: March 10, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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Licenses" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

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distilled spirit samplings inside licensed premises. -- Any holder of a Class A retail license

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shall be permitted to conduct at no charge to the consumer, inside the premises of the licensee,

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sample tastings of wine (under 13% alcohol by volume), beer (under 5.5% alcohol by volume)

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and distilled spirits available for purchase from the licensee's outlet. These samples shall not

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exceed one ounce servings of each wine, the number of wines being limited to no more than four

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(4) products at any one tasting and one ounce serving of each beer with the number of beer

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samplings being limited to two (2) products at any one tasting and one quarter ounce serving (1/4

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oz) of each distilled spirit, the number of distilled spirits being limited to no more than two (2)

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

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conducted simultaneously on the same Class A licensed premise. Each consumer shall be limited

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to no more than one sample tasting of each product. The licensee may elect on one occasion

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annually, during the month of November only, to serve unlimited samples of wine products

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available for purchase from the licensee's outlet.

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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training provider of alcoholic beverage service.

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

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

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

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

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

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     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 permit class A liquor retail license holders to elect on one occasion

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annually, during the month of November only, to serve unlimited samples of wine products which

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are available for purchase from the licensee's outlet.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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