At the beginning of the 2018 legislative session, the West Virginia Legislature has proposed the following changes related to the statutes governing beer, craft beer and alcohol:
- House Bill 2425 allows growler retailers to offer complementary 2 oz. samples for each patron, with a maximum of three such samples per day.
- House Bill 2517 requires liability insurance coverage for beer and alcohol licensees, proposing that each have general liability coverage of $100,000.00 per occurrence and alcohol and/or beer liability coverage of $100,000.00 per occurrence.
- House Bill 2563 proposes that brew pubs, Class A and B retailers, and private clubs be authorized to allow complementary samples of 2 oz. per patron of beer or craft beer within a maximum of 10 oz. of samples per day, and removes the sampling limitations imposed upon Class A retailers.
- House Bill 2842 authorizes a temporary Class T license for test marketing foreign beers in the State of West Virginia for $100.00.
- House Bill 2888 removes the restrictions imposed upon liquor licensees related to outdoor speakers and noise.
- House Bill 3074 would authorize an increase in the maximum amount of alcohol by volume for beer and craft beer from 12% to 18%.
- House Bill 2096 would authorize commercial airlines to sell certain alcoholic beverages without obtaining a license in West Virginia.
- Senate Bill 101 would authorize a one-day special license for charitable events to be known as an S-1 licenses.If you have questions about compliance with federal or state alcohol regulations or the status of pending legislation, feel free to contact Charles M. Johnson, cmjohnson@fbtlaw.com.
Drafts of the proposed legislation and updates regarding the status of each particular bill can be found at http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bill_status.cfm.
If you have questions about compliance with federal or state alcohol regulations or the status of pending legislation, feel free to contact Charles M. Johnson, cmjohnson@fbtlaw.com.