Bill
    HB 3101
    
    
        85(R) - 2017    
    
    
        House Licensing & Administrative Procedures    
    
            
            Senate Business & Commerce        
    
    
    
    
    
    
        House Licensing & Administrative Procedures    
    
            
            Senate Business & Commerce        
    
    
            Alcoholic Beverage Code
            Transportation & Infrastructure
    
    
    
    
     
    
        Vote Recommendation
        
            
                Yes            
            
                - 
                    Positive                
- 
                    Neutral                
- 
                    Neutral                
- 
                    Positive                
- 
                    Neutral                
 
     
    
            Author(s)
                    John Kuempel
        
    
    
    
    
            Sponsor(s)
                    Brian Birdwell
        
        
    
    
    
    
    
        Bill Caption
        Relating to authorizing the sale of alcoholic beverages on certain passenger buses; authorizing a fee.
     
    
    
        Fiscal Notes
        There would be an indeterminate amount of revenue generated from the new fee authorized by the bill.
     
    
    
        
Bill Analysis
        HB 3101 would allow corporations to obtain a passenger bus beverage permit and give holders the same rights to sell alcoholic beverages as holders of airline beverage permits. Passenger buses must meet certain requirements to be eligible for the permit, and holders must pay an annual fee of $500. Passenger bus beverages would be exempt from the local fee and tax authorized in this section. Only a holder of a wholesale permit would be allowed to sell liquor to a holder of a passenger bus beverage permit, and this sale would be considered as a sale at retail to a consumer.    
    
        
        
Vote Recommendation Notes
        This bill supports limited government and free markets by allowing eligible passenger bus companies to provide a service to their customers which the law currently does not allow. This is a small step in the right direction. We support HB 3101.