BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1518
87R5317 MCK-D	By: Dutton (Seliger)
	Business & Commerce
	5/14/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Although guests at many hotels are provided "mini-bars" in their rooms, they are only permitted to purchase and consume drinks at the hotel bar during certain hours. When the hotel bar is closed, hotel guests are confined to drinking in their rooms. These restrictions on the hours for selling alcoholic beverages in hotel bars may hamper the Texas tourism and hospitality industries, which have suffered tremendously during the COVID-19 pandemic.

H.B. 1518 seeks to address this issue by authorizing alcoholic beverages to be sold to and consumed by a hotel's registered guests in the licensed or permitted hotel bar at any time.

H.B. 1518 amends current law relating to the hours for selling alcoholic beverages in certain establishments.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 105.01(a), Alcoholic Beverage Code, as follows:

(a) Creates an exception under Section 105.091. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 105.06, Alcoholic Beverage Code, by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (f), as follows:

(b) Creates an exception under Subsection (f). Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(f) Authorizes a person who is a registered guest of a hotel to consume or possess alcoholic beverages in the hotel bar, as defined by Section 105.091, at any time.

SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 105, Alcoholic Beverage Code, by adding Section 105.091, as follows:

Sec. 105.091. HOURS OF SALE; HOTEL BAR. (a) Defines "hotel bar."

(b) Authorizes a hotel bar, notwithstanding any other law, to sell or offer for sale alcoholic beverages at any time to a registered guest of the hotel.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2021.