HB 1219: Beverage Law

Full Details from the Florida Legislature

HB 1219 would create section 562.65 of the Florida Statutes, which would authorize licensed vendors of alcoholic beverages to allow dogs in certain designated areas on their licensed premises. The new section establishes what qualifies as a licensed vendor and how and where a dog can be in the premises. The section gives the Division power to adopt reasonable rules to administer this section. 

Section 3 of the bill revises the limitations on the size of malt beverage containers to allow containers of 2 liters or more to be sold by vendors at retail. Section 4 of the bill repeals FS 564.02. Section 5 of the bill authorizes cider to be packaged, filled, refilled or sold in growlers and lays out requirements and penalties for violating the requirements. The bill removes language that restricts what is considered a meal for purposes of taking unsealed bottles of wine from restaurants.

Section 7 of the bill redefines the terms “branded product” and “craft distillery”. The definition of branded product is expanded to include any distilled spirits product manufactured on site and blended on site with other distilled spirits. The definition of craft distillery is changed to 250,000 gallons or fewer from the original limitation of 75,000 gallons or fewer. The new definition of craft distillery would also specify that the distillery must be designated as a craft distillery by the division upon the licensee’s election.

Importantly, HB 1219 also deletes the prohibition against craft distilleries from selling more than 6 individual containers of a brand product to a consumer. The bill adds language authorizing a craft distillery to transfer up to 75,000 gallons per calendar year of distilled spirits from its federal bonded space at its licensed premises to souvenir gift shops.

HB 1219 would revise limitations on craft-distillery shipments of items purchased in face-to-face transactions, and would allow a craft distillery to ship, arrange to ship, or deliver its distilled spirits to a consumer who has purchased such spirits in a face-to-face transaction at the distillery property. Such shipments and deliveries may only be made through a common carrier authorized to deliver or ship distilled spirits in the destination jurisdiction.

Please note that this summary is based on the initially filed version of the bill. Click the Full Details link for updates on amendments, votes, etc.