Florida Governor Signs Into Law 3 2018 Beverage Bills

Used With Permission – Creative Commons.

Hop on a train to nowhere, order your full-sized bottles for delivery, and break out the branded glassware. There are a few changes to the Florida Beverage Laws.

On March 30, 2018, Governor Rick Scott signed into law three bills that make narrow and random changes to the the Florida Beverage Laws.

All Aboard for Full Pours

House Bill 1265 exempts from the mini-bottle requirement Florida trains that are engaged in intrastate travel. If you’re starting in Florida and staying in Florida, your train can carry full size bottles of spirits. Travel outside the state and your stuck with those 2-ounce mini-bottles. This law becomes effective July 1, 2018.

Place Your Orders Online (but not to a Brewery)

House Bill 667 makes it legal for licensed beverage vendors to take orders online. Vendors can make deliveries in their own vehicles or they can utilize a third-party delivery service (like Shipt or Uber Eats) or common carrier (like UPS or FedEx) to deliver beer, wine, or spirits to consumers. But there’s a catch: brewery taprooms are expressly excluded from the offsite delivery market. This law becomes effective July 1, 2018.

You May Soon Never Forget What You’re Drinking

Distributors will soon be allowed to give beverage vendors branded glassware provided for free by the manufacturers. House Bill 961 provides this amendment to Florida’s Tied House Evil statute. Distributors are limited to providing no more than 10 cases per vendor per year. This law becomes effective October 1, 2018.

Not Every Bill Made it

As usually, a handful of beverage bills never made it out of the Florida Legislature. The following chart tracks all the bills, including the ones that stalled out.

Bill #

SponsorCompanionSummary

Status

SB 922BeanHB 1265Amends F.S. §565.02 to exempt operators of intrastate railroads or sleeping cars from the miniature bottle requirement.3/7/2018 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 1265 -SJ 877
CS/HB 1265MillerSB 922Amends F.S. §565.02 to exempt operators of intrastate railroads or sleeping cars from the miniature bottle requirement and the requirement to keep alcoholic beverages intended for sale on passenger trains & alcoholic beverages intended for sale in railroad transit station separate.3/30/2018 Approved by Governor
SB 822HutsonHB 775Amends F.S. § 561.42 creating an exemption from the tied house evil provisions for specified financial transactions between a manufacturer or importer of malt beverages and a licensed vendor. Prohibits the manufacturer or importer of malt beverage from soliciting or receiving any portion of certain payments for its distributors.3/10/2018 Senate – Died on Calendar
HB 775La RosaSB 822Amends F.S. § 561.42 creating an exemption from the tied house evil provisions for specified financial transactions between a manufacturer or importer of malt beverages and a licensed vendor. Prohibits the manufacturer or importer of malt beverage from soliciting or receiving any portion of certain payments for its distributors.3/10/2018 House – Died on Calendar
SB 1020YoungHB 667Alcohol Delivers. Amend F.S. § 561.57 to include electronic orders as a sale made at the vendor’s licensed place of business. Allows manufacturers, distributors, and vendors to contract with third parties for certain deliveries.3/7/2018 Senate – Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 667 -SJ 877
CS/HB 667PerezSB 1020Alcohol Delivers. Amend F.S. § 561.57 to include electronic orders as a sale made at the vendor’s licensed place of business. Allows manufacturers, distributors, and vendors to contract with third parties for certain deliveries.3/30/2018 Approved by Governor
CS/HB 961GrutersSB 1224Allows distributor to give branded glassware to vendors for on-premises consumption.3/30/2018 Approved by Governor
SB 1224BradleyHB 961Allows distributor to give branded glassware to vendors for on-premises consumption.3/7/2018 Senate – Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 961 -SJ 878
SB 296BradesHB 669Repeals F.S. § 564.05 limiting the size of individual wine containers. Amends F.S. § 564.055 to allow the packaging, filling, refilling, or sale of cider in growlers. Amends F.S. § 564.09 to authorize a restaurant to allow a patron to remove certain containers from the restaurant for off premises consumption.3/9/2018 Senate – Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 669 -SJ 1012
HB 669PerezSB 296Repeals F.S. § 564.05 limiting the size of individual wine containers. Amends F.S. § 564.055 to allow the packaging, filling, refilling, or sale of cider in growlers. Amends F.S. § 564.09 to authorize a restaurant to allow a patron to remove certain containers from the restaurant for off premises consumption.3/10/2018 Senate – Died in returning Messages

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