HB 514 – Distilled Spirits Free Tastings on Premises

• Authorizes free tastings of distilled spirits on the premises of licensed retail dealers in Georgia
• Amends Title 3, Chapter 4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to distilled spirits
• A proposed Senate amendment sought to expand the bill to cover all alcoholic beverages, including authorizing the breaking and consumption of wine packages on premises for wine tastings permitted by local ordinance; this amendment was lost
• Would have created exceptions to Code Sections 3-3-26 and 3-4-25, which currently prohibit retail dealers from allowing packages of alcoholic beverages to be opened or consumed on the premises where sold
• Sponsored in the Senate by Senators Balfour (9th), Gooch (51st), Staton (18th), Cowsert (46th), Williams (19th), and Rogers (21st), among others