Tennessee House Bill HB0376

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/23
• Refer: 2/1/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57, relative to alcohol.

Impact

The proposed changes in HB 376 are expected to impact how alcoholic beverages are categorized and regulated within the state of Tennessee. By setting the alcohol content threshold at 10.1% by volume, instead of the previous 8% by weight, the bill aims to align Tennessee's laws with current industry standards and practices, which may ease the regulatory burden on manufacturers and sellers of alcohol. This adjustment has implications for both compliance within the industry and consumer access to certain alcoholic products as it broadens the types of beverages that can be sold under existing licenses.

Summary

House Bill 376 proposes amendments to the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically aiming to change regulations related to the alcohol content levels that govern the sale of various alcoholic beverages. The primary changes involve increasing the specified alcohol content thresholds for different classifications of alcoholic products. For instance, the bill modifies the language regarding alcohol content from a weight measurement to a volume measurement, thereby updating the legal standards that dictate what qualifies as a specific type of alcoholic beverage.

Contention

Despite its aims to modernize alcohol regulations, HB 376 is not without points of contention. Stakeholders in the alcohol market, including retailers and manufacturers, may have differing opinions on the impacts of the new thresholds. Some may argue that increased alcohol content could lead to greater public health concerns, while others may advocate for the changes as a necessary evolution in state law to reflect contemporary alcohol consumption trends and business practices. The discussions around this bill may also highlight broader debates about the role of government in regulating alcohol sales and consumption.