By: Hancock  S.B. No. 1450
         (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 2019; March 14, 2019, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  April 8, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 8, 2019,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1450 By:  Hancock
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the delivery of alcoholic beverages from certain
  premises to ultimate consumers; authorizing a fee; creating an
  offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 28.10(a), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by this section or Sections [Section]
  28.01(b) and 28.1001, a mixed beverage permittee may not sell an
  alcoholic beverage to another mixed beverage permittee or to any
  other person except for consumption on the seller's licensed
  premises.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 28, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended
  by adding Section 28.1001 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.1001.  OFF-PREMISES DELIVERY OF ALCOHOLIC
  BEVERAGES. (a)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this code,
  the holder of a mixed beverage permit may deliver, or have delivered
  by a third party, including an independent contractor acting under
  Chapter 57, an alcoholic beverage from the permitted premises to an
  ultimate consumer located off-premises and in an area where the
  sale of the beverage is legal if:
               (1)  the holder of the mixed beverage permit holds a
  food and beverage certificate for the permitted premises;
               (2)  the delivery of the alcoholic beverage is made as
  part of the delivery of food prepared at the permitted premises;
               (3)  the alcoholic beverage is:
                     (A)  beer, ale, or wine delivered in an original
  container sealed by the manufacturer; or
                     (B)  an alcoholic beverage other than beer, ale,
  or wine, delivered in an original, single-serving container sealed
  by the manufacturer and not larger than 375 milliliters; and
               (4)  the delivery is not made to a premises that is
  permitted or licensed under this code.
         (b)  An alcoholic beverage may be delivered under this
  section only by a person who is 21 years of age or older.
         (c)  An alcoholic beverage may be delivered under this
  section only to a person who is 21 years of age or older after the
  person accepting the delivery presents valid proof of identity and
  age and:
               (1)  the person accepting the delivery personally signs
  a receipt, which may be electronic, acknowledging the delivery; or
               (2)  the person making the delivery acknowledges the
  completion of the delivery through a software application.
         (d)  This section does not authorize the holder of a brewpub
  license who also holds a wine and beer retailer's permit to deliver
  alcoholic beverages directly to ultimate consumers for off-premise
  consumption at a location other than the licensed premises.
         SECTION 3.  Subtitle A, Title 3, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 57 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 57. CONSUMER DELIVERY PERMIT
         Sec. 57.01.  AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES. (a)  The holder of a
  consumer delivery permit may contract with or employ a driver for
  the delivery of an alcoholic beverage from the premises of the
  holder of a retailer's permit described by Subsection (b) to an
  ultimate consumer located in an area where the sale of the beverage
  is legal.
         (b)  An alcoholic beverage may be delivered under this
  section only if the alcoholic beverage is sold to the ultimate
  consumer by the holder of a:
               (1)  package store permit; 
               (2)  wine only package store permit; 
               (3)  wine and beer retailer's permit; 
               (4)  wine and beer retailer's off-premise permit; 
               (5)  retail dealer's on-premise license; 
               (6)  retail dealer's off-premise license; or 
               (7)  mixed beverage permit authorized to deliver
  alcoholic beverages under Section 28.1001.
         Sec. 57.02.  DETERMINATION OF DELIVERY AREA.  (a)  In
  determining whether the sale of an alcoholic beverage is legal in an
  area for purposes of Section 57.01, a person who sells or delivers
  an alcoholic beverage under that section may consult a map or other
  publicly available information produced by the commission for the
  purpose of establishing where the sale of alcoholic beverages is
  legal.
         (b)  The holder of a consumer delivery permit may make
  deliveries of alcoholic beverages:
               (1)  only in response to bona fide orders placed by the
  consumer under Section 57.01; and 
               (2)  only in areas where the sale of the beverages is
  legal in:
                     (A)  the county in which the premises of the
  retailer making the sale is located;
                     (B)  the city or town in which the premises of the
  retailer making the sale is located, if the retailer is located in a
  city or town; or
                     (C)  an area not further than two miles beyond the
  municipal boundary of the city or town in which the premises of the
  retailer is located, if applicable.
         (c)  It is a defense to a prosecution alleging that an
  individual delivered an alcoholic beverage under this chapter to an
  address located in an area that is dry for the type of beverage
  delivered that:
               (1)  the individual or the holder of a consumer
  delivery permit relied on publicly available information produced
  by the commission relating to the wet or dry classification of the
  address; and 
               (2)  the information indicated that the address to
  which the beverage was delivered was classified as wet for the type
  of beverage delivered on the date of the delivery.
         Sec. 57.03.  FEE. The commission by rule shall establish the
  annual state fee for a consumer delivery permit.
         Sec. 57.04.  ELIGIBILITY FOR PERMIT. A consumer delivery
  permit may be issued to:
               (1)  a person who contracts with or employs individuals
  for the delivery of retail goods to consumers, other than the holder
  of a permit or license in the manufacturing or wholesale tier of the
  alcoholic beverage industry; or
               (2)  the holder of a permit or license described by
  Section 57.01(b).
         Sec. 57.05.  DELIVERY DRIVER REQUIREMENTS.  A consumer
  delivery permit holder under this chapter may not contract with or
  employ a person to make a delivery under this chapter unless the
  person:
               (1)  is 21 years of age or older; and
               (2)  holds a valid driver's license.
         Sec. 57.06.  DELIVERY OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES TO CONSUMER.
  (a)  An alcoholic beverage may be delivered under this chapter only
  to a person who is 21 years of age or older after the person
  accepting the delivery presents valid proof of identity and age.
         (b)  An alcoholic beverage may not be delivered under this
  chapter to any person other than:
               (1)  the person who purchased the beverage;
               (2)  a recipient designated in advance by the
  purchaser; or
               (3)  a person at the delivery address who is 21 years of
  age or older.
         (c)  An alcoholic beverage may be delivered under this
  chapter outside the hours of operation of the retailer from which
  the delivery is being made only if the delivery driver:
               (1)  receives the beverage from the retailer during the
  retailer's hours of legal sale; and
               (2)  completes the delivery to the consumer in a
  reasonable amount of time after leaving the retailer's premises.
         Sec. 57.07.  RETAILER RESPONSIBILITY. (a)  A retailer's
  responsibilities under this code regarding delivery of an alcoholic
  beverage to an ultimate consumer are considered satisfied at the
  time the retailer transfers possession of an alcoholic beverage to
  the consumer delivery permittee or a delivery driver employed by,
  contracted with, or acting on behalf of the holder of a consumer
  delivery permit.
         (b)  An action by a consumer delivery permittee or by a
  delivery driver is not attributable to the retailer with regard to:
               (1)  providing, selling, or serving alcohol to a minor
  or to an intoxicated individual;
               (2)  the delivery of alcohol in a dry or otherwise
  illegal area, unless the retailer has contractually agreed to
  retain responsibility for ensuring that deliveries are not directed
  to a dry or otherwise illegal area; or
               (3)  any other provision of this code.
         (c)  A retailer:
               (1)  is not required to verify that the consumer
  delivery permittee or the delivery driver has received delivery
  driver training under Section 57.09(a)(1); and
               (2)  may not be held responsible for any reason under
  statutory or common law for the actions of a consumer delivery
  permittee or a delivery driver acting on behalf of a consumer
  delivery permittee.
         Sec. 57.08.  RESPONSIBILITY OF HOLDER OF CONSUMER DELIVERY
  PERMIT. (a)  The actions of a delivery driver acting on behalf of a
  holder of a consumer delivery permit are not attributable to a
  holder of a consumer delivery permit if the permit holder has not
  directly or indirectly encouraged the delivery driver to violate
  the law and the delivery driver:
               (1)  has a valid certification from the training
  program adopted under Section 57.09(a)(1); or
               (2)  completed the delivery using an alcohol delivery
  compliance software application that meets the requirements
  established under Section 57.09(a)(2).
         (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), if it is found, after
  notice and hearing, that the permittee, an agent or employee of the
  permittee, or a person acting on behalf of the permittee delivered
  with criminal negligence an alcoholic beverage to a minor or an
  intoxicated person, the commission or administrator may:
               (1)  suspend the permit for not more than 90 days for
  the first violation;
               (2)  suspend the permit for not more than six months for
  the second violation; and
               (3)  suspend the permit for not more than 12 months for
  a third violation within a period of 36 consecutive months.
         (c)  It is a rebuttable presumption that a sale or delivery
  of an alcoholic beverage to a minor or an intoxicated person was not
  made with criminal negligence if the delivery driver:
               (1)  at the time of the delivery held a valid
  certification from the training program adopted under Section
  57.09(a)(1); and
               (2)  completed the delivery as a result of a technical
  malfunction of an alcohol delivery compliance software application
  that otherwise meets the requirements established under Section
  57.09(a)(2).
         Sec. 57.09.  DELIVERY TRAINING PROGRAM AND VERIFICATION
  SYSTEMS. (a)  The commission by rule shall:
               (1)  adopt and administer an alcohol delivery training
  program for the purpose of training and certifying delivery drivers
  contracting with or employed by the holder of a permit under Section
  28.1001 or this chapter; and
               (2)  establish minimum requirements for alcohol
  delivery compliance software applications.
         (b)  The commission shall implement a system that allows the
  holder of a retail permit or a consumer delivery permit to verify in
  real time whether a delivery driver has a valid certification from
  the training program adopted under Subsection (a)(1).
         SECTION 4.  The heading to Section 101.63, Alcoholic
  Beverage Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 101.63.  SALE OR DELIVERY TO CERTAIN PERSONS.
         SECTION 5.  Section 101.63, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  A person commits an offense if the person with
  criminal negligence delivers for commercial purposes an alcoholic
  beverage to an intoxicated person.
         SECTION 6.  Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas
  Alcoholic Beverage Commission shall adopt rules to implement
  Section 57.09(a), Alcoholic Beverage Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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