Nebraska alcohol laws

What it would do: Redefines nonalcoholic beer as near beer and excludes it from most Nebraska Liquor Control Act regulations, while maintaining the prohibition on selling or furnishing it to minors and subjecting its manufacture, distribution, sale, and purchase to all other provisions of the Act except taxation.

What it would do: Amends Nebraska liquor license provisions to allow the commission to issue retail, bottle club, craft brewery, and microdistillery licenses despite local denial recommendations if the applicant proves arbitrary and capricious action, adds tax delinquency consideration, and adjusts penalty classifications for unlicensed alcohol sales.

What it would do: Exempts microbreweries from Nebraska's beer distribution agreement requirements between suppliers and wholesalers, and terminates existing microbrewery-wholesaler agreements by October 1, 2027, unless parties enter new written agreements.

What it would do: Amends Nebraska liquor law to allow local governments to designate consumption-only areas within entertainment districts and permit businesses in those areas to obtain consumption-only entertainment district licenses for twenty-five dollars, allowing patrons to carry alcoholic beverages sold by other district licensees into their premises without the business selling or serving alcohol.

What it would do: Creates a regional craft brewery license for breweries producing 20,000 to 200,000 barrels annually, permitting manufacture and retail sales across up to eight physical locations, with authority to sell to wholesalers and obtain additional retail licenses.

What it would do: Adopts the Nebraska Consumable Hemp Control Act, establishing a regulatory framework for retail sales of consumable hemp products through the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, imposing a three percent excise tax on distributor-to-retailer transfers, and amending immunity provisions for eligible drug offenses.

What it would do: Requires retail liquor licensees to employ only persons certified in mandatory server alcohol training for sales, service, security, or age verification roles, effective January 1, 2026, with ninety days to obtain certification after hire.

What it would do: Removes nonalcoholic beer from regulation under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act by excluding it from the definition of alcoholic liquor and beer, redefines near beer as beer containing less than one-half of one percent alcohol by volume, and repeals section 53-160.02.

What it would do: Amends Nebraska Liquor Control Act section 53-123.17 to remove redundant language relating to entertainment district licenses that allow retail, craft brewery, microdistillery, and manufacturer licensees to sell alcohol in designated commons areas.

What it would do: Imposes a five percent excise tax on gross receipts of gas stations, convenience stores, and package liquor stores in qualified census tracts beginning January 1, 2027, and creates a Community Reinvestment Fund for grants to health centers, homeless services, childcare, and community development.

What it would do: Designates the General Affairs Committee to conduct an interim study examining the regulatory framework under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, including licensing, distribution, enforcement, and financial regulatory systems administered by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, and requires the committee to report findings and recommendations.

What it would do: Amends Nebraska's entertainment district provisions to allow commons areas in cities of the first class, second class, villages, and unincorporated counties with reasonable safety measures instead of physical barriers, and permits open alcoholic liquor containers in designated crosswalks.