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Representative sponsor advances HB 593 to create Alabama Small Craft Alcoholic Beverage Act; committee adopts four amendments
Summary
A committee advanced HB 593, the Alabama Small Craft Alcoholic Beverage Act, to allow new small‑craft distiller, winery and brewpub license categories, tasting rooms and limited deliveries; the committee adopted four friendly amendments (including production caps and age‑restriction language) and passed the bill out of committee.
A representative sponsor presented HB 593, titled the Alabama Small Craft Alcoholic Beverage Act, saying the bill establishes three new license categories (small craft distiller, small craft winery and a hybrid craft alcoholic‑beverage complex), authorizes tasting rooms and educational tours, and permits limited delivery services to help grow tourism and support small businesses across the state.
"This is about growing tourism in the state of Alabama, but it's also about growing our small business and giving them an opportunity to survive," the sponsor said, explaining the bill would allow brewpubs, small craft distilleries and small craft wineries to operate within a continuous area and to provide tastings at events such as farmers markets and festivals.
Committee members considered four friendly amendments offered at the sponsor's request and recommended by ABC; the amendments clarified registration and fee language, added production caps, authorized open containers as permitted by the board, and limited tasting‑room access to individuals 21 years of age and older. One amendment replaced wording to limit distilled production and wine sales to quantities "not to exceed 50,000" (the transcript records the cap language as 50,000 and 50,000 gallons for wine).
Representative Lomax moved the first adoption, Representative Robertson and Representative Barnes seconded or supported amendments in subsequent motions; the committee approved each amendment by voice vote. Representative Robertson then moved final passage of the bill as amended, Representative Barnes seconded, and members voiced approval, advancing HB 593 out of committee to the floor.
Curtis Stewart of ABC attended the hearing and was thanked by the sponsor for consultation during drafting. The committee recorded no roll‑call vote counts in the transcript; actions were adopted by voice vote.
