BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1694

By: Button

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Allowing commercial businesses that do not sell food or beverages to sell alcoholic beverages would allow the City of Garland to attract more residents and visitors to local businesses and encourage economic development. However, the city would need to hold a local option election for the creation of a commercial zone in which such businesses can apply for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages. H.B. 1694 seeks to give Garland the option to hold such a local option election and give the community the opportunity to decide whether alcoholic beverages should be sold in these areas.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1694 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to extend the authority to create by local option election a municipal alcoholic beverage zone to a municipality that has a population of 240,000 or more, is located in two or more counties, and borders a man-made lake that has a surface area of at least 20,000 acres. The bill authorizes the governing body of a municipality authorized to create such a zone to adopt zoning and land use regulations applicable to a premises that sells alcoholic beverages in the zone's boundaries.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.