Subcommittee advances bill to let caterers hold retail alcohol licenses, with guardrails

At a Senate judiciary subcommittee hearing, members reported S.1001 as amended to the full judiciary committee after hearing competing testimony from caterers, hospitality-industry representatives and public-safety advocates.

The bill would create a new retail alcoholic beverage license allowing licensed caterers to buy beer and wine directly from wholesalers and liquor from stores, transport alcohol to private events, obtain credits for unused product, and sponsor a limited number of discounted or free-beverage events per year. Committee staff described the measure as providing a clear regulatory pathway for off-premise catered alcohol service.

Supporters said the bill modernizes a statutory framework that has not kept pace with current catering business models. "This bill creates a simple legal pathway for caterers to meet those expectations and provide essential services for our clients," said Tanya Guerrieri, founding partner of Salt House Catering in Charleston. Jesse Bullard, vice president and co-owner of Southern Way Catering, said the change would help locally owned firms grow and generate tourism-related economic activity.

Opponents urged caution. Karen Smith, testifying for the Crime Victims Association and as a private citizen, said the package of bills under consideration—including S.1001—would expand alcohol availability in time, place and volume without adding enforcement resources. "When alcohol becomes cheaper and easier to get, consumption and alcohol-related deaths go up," she said, citing studies and local crashes.

Members pressed witnesses on details including whether the bill changes per-capita service levels or only reduces regulatory friction for caterers. Guerrieri said the measure primarily provides legal clarity and tax compliance and that servers receive training to check IDs and refuse service when appropriate. Laura Hudson, an advocate who testified later, urged the committee to add rules tied to event size and stronger, mandatory penalties and suspension criteria for license violations.

The subcommittee adopted an amendment that shifts licensed storage to the caterer’s place of business (keeping wholesaler deliveries to the licensed location) and aligns refund language with current credit practices. Following a voice vote, the subcommittee moved S.1001 as amended to the full judiciary committee.

Next steps: the full judiciary committee will consider the amended bill. The subcommittee did not record a roll-call tally in the transcript; the measure was reported by voice vote.