Bill > S2413

Introduced Session

This bill allows for the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages by the holders of certain retail consumption licenses and concessionaire permits during the state of emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the bill allows certain alcoholic beverage manufacturers to deliver, by common carrier or otherwise, their products to the residences of consumers in original containers or any closed and sealed container during the state of emergency. Under the bill, the holder of plenary retail consumption licenses, hotel or motel licenses, seasonal retail consumption licenses, or concessionaire permits, generally issued to bars and restaurants, would be permitted to sell and deliver alcoholic beverages in original containers or any closed and sealed container for consumption off the licensed premises during the state of emergency. In addition, the holder of a limited brewery license, plenary winery license, farm winery license, out-of-State winery license, cidery and meadery license, or craft distillery license would be permitted to deliver the licensee's products in original containers for consumption off the licensed premises during the state of emergency. The bill also temporarily allows the holder of retail consumption license or concessionaire permit to sell cocktails for off-premises consumption. Specifically, distilled alcoholic beverages sold by the holder of a retail consumption license or concessionaire permit in a closed and sealed container may be mixed or blended with other alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages. The bill requires distilled alcoholic beverages, whether or not mixed with other beverages, to be delivered or sold in closed and sealed containers that hold not more than 16 fluid ounces. Any other alcoholic beverage may be sold or delivered in containers of any size. The closed and sealed containers are to be affixed with a tamper evident seal. Finally, the bill exempts from the alcoholic beverage tax, alcohol used by a distillery in the sale, delivery, and production of hand sanitizer during a state of emergency and allows refunds for those distilleries that have paid the tax on alcohol used by the distillery in the production of hand sanitizer during the state of emergency. This temporary enactment has an effective date that expires six months following the date: (1) on which the state of emergency has ended; or (2) on which the coronavirus-related occupancy or customer seating restrictions no longer apply to these licensed premises, whichever date occurs later.

Committee Categories

Vin Gopal (D)*,  Declan O'Scanlon (R)*,  Dawn Addiego (D),  Christopher Bateman (R),  Tony Bucco (R),  Gerald Cardinale (R),  Kristin Corrado (R),  Jim Holzapfel (R),  Steven Oroho (R),  Bob Singer (R), 

Substituted by A3966 (ACS) (on 05/14/2020)

Official Document