HB 3385
AN ACT relating to the promotion and sale of wine produced in this state;
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Creates a new farm winery permit allowing Texas wine producers to operate up to five off-site locations for selling and serving their wine, with an annual sales limit of 250,000 gallons. Winery owners can sell wine for on-site and off-site consumption at these locations, subject to commission regulations and a maximum annual permit fee of $500. The bill also establishes a Farm Winery Marketing Assistance Fund to support promotional efforts for Texas farm wineries, funded by permit fees, legislative appropriations, and potential grants.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the promotion and sale of wine produced in this state; creating a farm winery permit; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 3, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended by adding Chapter 17 to read as follows: CHAPTER 17. FARM WINERY PERMIT Sec. 17.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "Texas wine" (1) at least 75 percent by volume fermented juice of grapes or other fruit grown in this state or a lesser percentage established by the commissioner of agriculture under Section Sec. 17.002. QUALIFICATION FOR PERMIT. A farm winery permit may be issued only to the holder of a winery permit who Sec. 17.003. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES. In addition to the activities authorized for a winery permit holder under Chapter 16, the holder of a farm winery permit may: (1) operate up to five locations off of the winery premises where the permit holder may sell Texas wine to ultimate consumers for consumption on the location's premises; and (2) sell on the winery premises or at a location described by Subdivision (1) Texas wine to ultimate consumers in unbroken packages for consumption off the winery's or location's premises in an amount not to exceed 250,000 gallons annually. Sec. 17.004. SALES AT OFF-SITE LOCATION. (a) The commission shall adopt rules to implement Section 17.003, including (1) require the farm winery permit holder to notify the commission of each location operated by the permit holder under (2) establish a procedure to verify the wet or dry status of each location described by Subdivision (1); and (3) require the farm winery permit holder to provide any other information the commission determines necessary. (b) The provisions of this code applicable to the sale of Texas wine on the permitted premises of the holder of a farm winery permit apply to the sale of Texas wine at a location authorized by Sec. 17.005. PERMIT FEE. (a) The fee for a farm winery permit may not exceed $500 annually. (b) The comptroller shall deposit 50 percent of each permit fee collected under this chapter to the credit of the general revenue fund and remit 50 percent of the fee collected under this subchapter to the credit of the farm winery marketing assistance SECTION 2. Chapter 110, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended by adding Subchapter C to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER C. FARM WINERY MARKETING ASSISTANCE FUND Sec. 110.101. FARM WINERY MARKETING ASSISTANCE FUND. (a) The farm winery marketing assistance fund is a dedicated account in (1) legislative appropriations to the Department of Agriculture for a purpose of the fund; (2) money from farm winery permit fees; (3) interest or other earnings on money credited to or (4) gifts, grants, including grants from the federal government, and donations received for the fund. (c) The Department of Agriculture may use money in the fund only to promote and market farm wineries permitted under Chapter SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Alcoholic Beverage Regulation and related subject areas.
Adnelis M. Perez Vega
PremiumBrianna M. Menard
Robert D. Miller
Haley Cornyn
Michael Toomey
Allen E. Blakemore
Vera Denise Rose
Gavin L. Massingill
Fred Shannon
Matthew Bentley
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the promotion and sale of wine produced in this state;
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