BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3768

By: Burrows

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that each year certain products are showcased at the State Fair of Texas under the direction of the "Go Texan" partner program. This event provides an exceptional opportunity to market program products, which promotes economic growth in Texas. It has been suggested that requiring a person who holds a license or permit to manufacture alcoholic beverages to obtain an additional license or permit to conduct product tastings is unduly burdensome. H.B. 3768 seeks to address this issue by authorizing such a license or permit holder to conduct product tastings without the issuance of another license or permit under certain conditions.

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. 3768 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to authorize a person who holds a license or permit to manufacture alcoholic beverages in Texas to conduct product tastings without the issuance of another license or permit under the Alcoholic Beverage Code if those tastings are conducted as part of and under the direction of the "Go Texan" partner program and during a festival or civic celebration that has been held near-annually for at least 100 years and is at least 21 days long.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.