HB 2337 - Liquor Omnibus Bill Summary

• Establishes new definition of "permanent occupancy" based on fire marshal's maximum occupancy rating and modifies timeline for aggrieved parties to file protests from "later" to "sooner" than 60 days after application filing or 15 days after local action.

• Allows craft distillers to operate up to two remote tasting rooms (previously one) and permits multiple craft distillers and farm wineries to share common indoor and outdoor patio spaces at the same property under separate licenses.

• Increases special event license days for unlicensed locations from 12 to 30 days per calendar year and expands eligible organizations to include nonprofits registered under IRC Section 501(c).

• Increases craft distillery festival license days from 75 to 150 calendar days per craft distillery and modifies beer and wine bar license issuance rates to one per 5,000 population increase (until January 1, 2022), then one per 10,000 thereafter.

• Expands out-of-state person licensing requirements to include retailers and wholesalers; allows wholesalers to accept malt beverage returns from retailers under specific circumstances including seasonal closures and venues with permanent occupancy over 1,000 people.