Bastrop officials urge change to mixed‑beverage election process to ease permitting

House Bill 2885 would amend the alcoholic beverage code to allow Bastrop County and municipal governments to call local option elections to legalize the sale of mixed beverages and implement zoning regulations for alcohol sales within designated zones, rather than relying on a citizen petition procedure tied to past election precinct boundaries.

Adena Lewis, director of tourism and economic development for Bastrop County, testified in favor and explained the petition threshold under current law: a petition requires signatures equal to 35 percent of the number of people who voted in the last election for a given precinct. Lewis said that in a largely rural county that equates to about 2,240 signatures to equalize eligibility across property owners, which is difficult to achieve. She described a practical consequence: when precinct lines and reference maps date to a 2005 election, many parcels that developed since then are ineligible to receive mixed beverage permits under the current map. Lewis provided committee members a map showing the currently qualified areas and said the bill would allow elected officials to call an election without the onerous petition process.

The committee received no registered opposing testimony and left the bill pending for further consideration. The transcript contains no fiscal estimate or testimony from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; the sponsor characterized the change as enabling local governments to respond proactively to community needs and economic development opportunities.