Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alcohol Regulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate approves bill letting ABC store employees run tastings
Summary
The Virginia Senate on Feb. 24 passed House Bill 3 85 to allow Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Authority employees to conduct product tastings inside ABC stores and to clarify that related items (including garnishes) may be sold; the vote was 38–1.
The Senate of Virginia passed House Bill 3 85 on Feb. 24, authorizing Alcoholic Beverage Control employees to conduct liquor tastings inside ABC stores and clarifying that the authority may sell related items, including garnishes.
Senator from Alexandria presented the measure, saying, "House bill 3 85 would allow ABC employees to conduct tastings within ABC stores." The presentation drew a mix of light-hearted questioning and substantive queries from longer-serving members. The senator from Franklin County asked several questions testing the new senator's familiarity with the statute; when pressed about subsection e the sponsor replied, "the first word in subsection e is no."
Supporters described the bill as limited to the operation of government stores and as intended to put ABC employees on the same footing as liquor-company representatives who currently conduct in-store tastings. The sponsor added the measure "clarifies that ABC may sell other items connected to distilled spirits including but not limited to garnishes."
After floor questions and brief colloquy, the Senate voted to pass House Bill 3 85 (Ayes 38, Noes 1). The bill advances as enacted by the House and will proceed through the legislative process for enrollment and any further steps required by the General Assembly.
The Senate framed the exchange as a customary first-bill grilling for a freshman senator; no amendments to the bill were recorded on the floor during this session.
Votes at a glance: House Bill 3 85 — passed, Ayes 38, Noes 1.
