Require Free Water in Bars.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1196

Short Title: Require Free Water in Bars. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Greenfield.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 5, 2026
*H1196-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE ON -PREMISES ABC PERMIT TEES TO PROVIDE DRIN KING 2
WATER WITHOUT CHARGE TO ANY CUSTOMER ON THE PREMISES 3
REQUESTING THE WATER. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. G.S. 18B-1006 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 6
"(t) Furnishing of Water Without Charge. – The holder of an on-premises malt beverage 7
permit, on -premises unfortified wine permit, on -premises fortified wine permit, or mixed 8
beverages permit issued under G.S. 18B-1001 shall furnish potable water without charge to any 9
customer on the licensed premises requesting the water. A permittee subject to this subsection is 10
only required to furnish water under this subse ction during the hours in which the alcoholic 11
beverage may be sold unde r G.S. 18B-1004. The water required to be furnished under this 12
subsection shall meet all federal and State requirements concerning purity of drinking water and 13
shall be supplied in a receptacle suitable to permit the individual consumption of not less than 6 14
fluid ounces per serving. For purposes of this subsection, the t erm "customer" means a person 15
who pays a fee or other charge to enter the licensed premises , purchases an alcoholic beverage 16
or other product from the permittee, or pays a fee or other charge to enter the licensed premises 17
and purchases an alcoholic beverage or other product from the permittee." 18
SECTION 2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Alcohol 19
Law Enforcement of the Department of Public Safety the sum of fifteen thousand do llars 20
($15,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025 -2026 fiscal year to be used to produce and place 21
informational posters making persons aware of the requirement set forth in G.S. 18B-1006(t), as 22
enacted by Section 1 of this act. The Division shall distrib ute the posters required under this 23
section to affected permittees, and the permittees shall prominently display the posters on the 24
licensed premises in a place that is clearly conspicuous and visible to customers. 25
SECTION 3. Section 2 of this act is effe ctive retroactively to July 1, 2025. The 26
remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law and applies to requests made on or after 27
that date. 28