House approves third‑party alcohol delivery permit after debate on training and ID checks

The Arkansas House on a recorded vote approved Senate Bill 98, establishing a third‑party delivery permit to allow grocery stores and convenience stores to deliver beer and wine with annual, in‑person training overseen by ABC and requirements that recipients show valid identification at the point of delivery. The bill passed after a floor discussion and questioning of the sponsor; the final tally reported in the transcript was 56 yays, 33 nays and 5 present.

Representative Maddox, the bill sponsor, told the House the measure does not expand which products stores may sell and stressed it only allows delivery of beer and wine by grocery and convenience stores, not new retail sales. “This bill does not expand alcohol sales in any way in this state,” Representative Maddox said, and said the bill was modeled on statutes from states including Texas. He said grocery and convenience stores already sell the products and the bill merely levels the playing field with liquor stores, which the House authorized in 2021 to deliver their products.

The sponsor described annual, in‑person training that ABC will oversee and that will include procedures for checking IDs and identifying intoxicated persons. Maddox said delivery drivers would often scan IDs so there would be a permanent record of who received a delivery and who signed for it. He also noted that knowingly selling alcohol to a minor is a class D felony under Arkansas law and said ABC and state police had not opposed the bill.

Members questioned how the recipient’s age would be verified at delivery and whether third‑party companies without Arkansas headquarters (for example, DoorDash) would require in‑person training for drivers. Representative Maddox said training and ID verification would be covered in the ABC training and that no delivery can be completed without verifying a recipient’s age and identity.

Opponents’ remarks are reflected in the roll call; the transcript records named paired votes and several members speaking against the measure during debate. The sponsor argued the bill would promote competition and convenience while adding training and recordkeeping safeguards. The House clerk recorded a pair and named votes (Representative Les Eaves voting yay; Representative Carlton Wing voting nay) before the final tally was announced and the bill was declared passed.

The transcript does not specify an effective date or the detailed administrative steps ABC will take to implement the training and permitting program; those details will be set in rulemaking or follow‑up with ABC.