2017 -- H 6255 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC002770/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- RETAIL LICENSES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives O'Brien, Marshall, Slater, Serpa, and Lima

     Date Introduced: May 26, 2017

     Referred To: House Corporations

     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.

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     Any holder of a Class A retail license shall be permitted to conduct at no charge to the

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consumer, inside the premises of the licensee, sample tastings of wine (under 13% alcohol by

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volume), beer (under 5.5% alcohol by volume), and distilled spirits available for purchase from

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the licensee's outlet. These samples shall not exceed one-ounce servings of each wine, the number

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of wines being limited to no more than four (4) products at any one tasting; and one-ounce

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servings of each beer, with the number of beer samplings being limited to two (2) products at any

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one tasting; and one-quarter-ounce servings (1/4 oz) of each distilled spirit, the number of

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distilled spirits being limited to no more than two (2) products at any one tasting. Furthermore,

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wine, beer, and distilled spirits samplings may not be conducted simultaneously on the same

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Class A licensed premise. Each consumer shall be limited to no more than one sample tasting of

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each product. The licensee may elect on one occasion annually, once during the month of March,

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and once 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-day (30) 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 amend the number of occasions upon which a Class A license holder

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under this chapter may dispense unlimited samples of wine products.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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