BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1518

By: Dutton

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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 hotel guests in hotel bars at any time.

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. 1518 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to authorize an appropriately permitted or licensed hotel bar to sell or offer for sale alcoholic beverages at any time to a registered hotel guest. The bill authorizes a registered hotel guest to consume or possess alcoholic beverages in the hotel bar at any time.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.