Pennsylvania alcohol laws

What it would do: Amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to define 'previously unlicensed location' as a location never holding a retail, distributor, or importing distributor license, or one unused for such purposes for at least three years, and replaces references to 'new' locations with this definition throughout licensing provisions for hotels, restaurants, clubs, and malt beverage retailers.

What it would do: Creates a tax credit for malt beverage manufacturers donating spent grain byproduct to eligible agricultural operations, equal to 16¢ per pound dry weight, capped at $30,000 or qualified tax liability, and modifies existing limited tax credits to allow five-year carryover and sale or assignment between taxpayers.

What it would do: Amends the malt beverage tax credit provisions to extend the credit carryforward period from three to five calendar years and allow taxpayers to sell or assign tax credits to other malt beverage manufacturers, with purchasers limited to claiming fifty percent of their tax liability annually.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to change the establishment date requirement for distillery of historical significance licenses from January 1, 1875 to January 1, 1885, and removes the 20,000 gallon annual production limit for such distilleries.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to define 'ready-to-draft pre-mixed keg cocktail' as a beverage combining nonalcoholic cocktail base with liquor in a sealed keg for on-premises consumption, and excludes such kegs from the definition of decanters prohibited under unlawful acts provisions.

What it would do: Requires the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to expunge citations issued to retail licensees for violations of COVID-19 protocols during the Governor's Proclamation of Disaster Emergency from March 6, 2020, within 30 days at no cost to the licensee.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to limit license auctions to no more than fifty licenses per county per year, extends the payment deadline from two weeks to six months, and creates an annual excess auction allowing unsold licenses to be bid on statewide with a $25,000 transfer fee to move licenses between counties.

What it would do: Allows individuals at least 18 years old who are enforcement bureau officers, employees, or interns to purchase, possess, and transport alcohol for compliance check purposes under direct supervision and approved training. Requires Pennsylvania State Police to promulgate compliance check regulations and submit annual reports to legislative committees.

What it would do: Adds criminal penalties for unlicensed liquor sales under Pennsylvania law, including fines of $1,000-$5,000 for first offense, $5,000-$10,000 and up to one year imprisonment for second offense, and $10,000-$25,000 and up to two years imprisonment for third or subsequent offenses within five years. Authorizes municipal law enforcement to enforce unlicensed liquor sales violations.

What it would do: Amends the malt beverage tax credit provisions to extend the credit carryforward period from three to five calendar years and allows manufacturers to sell or assign tax credits to other malt beverage manufacturers, with purchasers limited to claiming fifty percent of their tax liability.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to restrict intermunicipal transfer of restaurant and eating place retail dispenser licenses by prohibiting transfer from the receiving municipality for five years after operational status, except one transfer to a new municipality is permitted if ownership remains unchanged.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to allow hotel, restaurant, municipal golf course restaurant, privately-owned golf course restaurant, and airport restaurant liquor licensees to sell liquor and malt or brewed beverages starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday instead of 9 a.m., with sales continuing until 2 a.m. Monday.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to rename Philadelphia 250 permits to Pennsylvania 250 permits and expand eligibility to municipalities outside cities of the first class that adopt an ordinance, while reducing the application filing deadline from thirty to fifteen days.

What it would do: Allows specified liquor licensees to apply for event permits authorizing alcohol sales from 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. the next day, with a $500 annual fee, maximum 10 permits per year, and 60-day advance notice requirement. Modifies existing sales hour restrictions to reference these new event permits.

What it would do: Amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to authorize the sale and regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid beverages through new licenses for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, while establishing the Local Hemp Sharing Fund and imposing penalties for violations.

What it would do: Repeals the act of June 9, 1936 that imposed an 18 percent emergency state tax on liquor sold by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and required collection and payment of such tax by the Department of Revenue and the Board.

What it would do: Amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to allow distributors and importing distributors holding ready-to-drink cocktail permits to sell ready-to-drink cocktails to other permit and license holders in any quantity, and permits ready-to-drink cocktail permit holders to purchase directly from manufacturers or other distributors.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to add private academic schools licensed by the Department of Education and nonpublic, nonlicensed schools registered with the Department of Education to the list of organizations eligible to obtain wine and spirits auction permits for up to four days per calendar year upon payment of thirty dollars per day.

What it would do: Amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to permit hotels and restaurants to sell malt or brewed beverages for off-premises consumption in quantities not exceeding 192 fluid ounces per sale, while restricting clubs from such off-premises sales to non-members and establishing specific sales hour restrictions for club licensees.

What it would do: Allows holders of restaurant licenses to obtain permits for up to two additional satellite locations within Pennsylvania to sell alcohol by the glass for on-premises consumption, subject to municipal approval, board regulations, and distance requirements from schools, churches, and other licensed premises.

What it would do: Amends the Liquor Code to allow minors ages 14-15 at ski resorts, golf courses, and amusement parks to work in areas where alcohol is not being dispensed or stored, and permits certain nonprofit organizations in second-class cities or counties to employ minors ages 15-18 in food service roles.

What it would do: Removes square footage restrictions on buildings where liquor licensees can operate registers in connected businesses, allows wine sales at registers outside licensed premises within the same building, and permits underage clerks to operate registers with adult assistance.

What it would do: Increases the wholesale discount for Pennsylvania Liquor Store sales to licensed hotels, restaurants, clubs, and other entities from ten percent to fifteen percent off retail price, effective in 60 days.

What it would do: Amends Pennsylvania's Liquor Code to create four classes of transporter-for-hire licenses for commercial alcohol delivery, establish training and record-keeping requirements, authorize third-party delivery services to consumers, and impose fines of $1,000 to $7,000 for violations.

What it would do: Adds convenience stores as a new category of liquor licensee authorized to sell malt or brewed beverages for off-premises consumption in quantities not exceeding 192 fluid ounces per sale, with a one-time license fee of $2,500 and annual renewal fee of $750.