AN ACT RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE LICENSES (Allows the holder of a manufacturer’s license to sell one-sixth of a barrel keg or any otherwise permitted vessel containing no more than the amount of malt beverage allowed.)

S2748

2026 -- S 2748
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LC004042
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE
LICENSES

Introduced By:
Senators Felag, Burke, Tikoian, Raptakis, Bissaillon, and Ciccone

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 3-6-1 and 3-6-15 of the General Laws in Chapter 3-6 entitled
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"Manufacturing and Wholesale Licenses" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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3-6-1. Manufacturer’s license.
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(a) A manufacturer’s license authorizes the holder to establish and operate a brewery,
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distillery, or winery at the place described in the license for the manufacture of beverages within
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this state. The license does not authorize more than one of the activities of operator of a brewery or
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distillery or winery and a separate license shall be required for each plant.
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(b) The license also authorizes the sale at wholesale, at the licensed place by the
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manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant, to another license holder and the transportation
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and delivery from the place of sale to a licensed place or to a common carrier for that delivery. The
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license does authorize the sale of beverages for consumption on premises where sold; provided that
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the manufacturer does not sell an amount in excess of forty-eight ounces (48 oz.) of malt beverage
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or four and one-half ounces (4.5 oz.) of distilled spirits, or fifteen ounces (15 oz.) of wine per
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visitor, per day, or a combination not greater than three (3) drinks where a drink is defined as up to
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sixteen ounces (16 oz.) of beer or one and one-half ounces (1.5 oz.) or five ounces (5 oz.) of wine
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of spirits, for consumption on the premises. The license also authorizes the sale of beverages
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produced on the premises in an amount not in excess of forty-eight (48) twelve-ounce (12 oz.)
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bottles or cans or forty-eight (48) sixteen-ounce (16 oz.) bottles or cans of malt beverages,
or one

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one-sixth (1/6) barrel keg or any otherwise permitted vessel containing not more than this amount
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of malt beverage,
or one thousand five hundred milliliters (1,500 ml) of distilled spirits per visitor,
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or three (3) seven hundred fifty milliliter (750 ml) bottles of wine or the equivalent amount of wine
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sold by the can or other container, per day, to be sold in containers that may hold no more than
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seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) each. These beverages may be sold to the consumers for off-premises
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consumption, and shall be sold pursuant to the laws governing retail Class A establishments. The
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containers for the sale of beverages for off-premises consumption shall be sealed. The license does
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not authorize the sale of beverages in this state for delivery outside this state in violation of the law
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of the place of delivery. The license holder may provide to visitors, in conjunction with a tour or
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tasting, samples, clearly marked as samples, not to exceed three hundred seventy-five milliliters
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(375 ml) per visitor for distilled spirits and seventy-two ounces (72 oz.) per visitor for malt
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beverages at the licensed plant by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant to visitors
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for off-premises consumption. The license does not authorize providing samples to a visitor of any
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alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption that are not manufactured at the licensed plant.
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All manufacturer licenses conducting retail sales or providing samples shall be subject to
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compliance with alcohol server training and liquor liability insurance requirements set forth in §§
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3-7-6.1 and 3-7-29 and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
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(c) The annual fee for the license is three thousand dollars ($3,000) for a distillery
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producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500)
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for a distillery producing less than or equal to fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year; five
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hundred dollars ($500) for a brewery; and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for a winery
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producing more than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year and five hundred dollars ($500)
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per year for a winery producing less than fifty thousand gallons (50,000 gal.) per year. All those
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fees are prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year and shall be paid to the
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general treasurer for the use of the state.
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3-6-15. Manufacturer’s interest in business of wholesaler restricted.
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(a) Except as provided for in this section, no

No
manufacturer of
distilled spirits or wines
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whose principal place of manufacture is outside of this state

alcoholic beverages
shall hold a
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wholesaler’s license issued under this title or shall have any interest in a wholesaler’s license, either
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directly or indirectly, as an owner or part owner, or through a subsidiary or affiliate, or by any
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officers, directors, or employees of the manufacturer, or by stock ownership, interlocking directors,
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trusteeship, loan, mortgage or by being a guarantor, endorser or surety of any obligation of a
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wholesaler.
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(b) Manufacturers of alcoholic beverages shall be eligible to hold a wholesaler’s license

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issued under this chapter, provided the following:
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(1) The manufacturer has an executed labor peace agreement with a bona fide labor union
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for the wholesale affiliate licensed pursuant to this chapter;
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(2) The sale or delivery to licensed retailers or wholesalers of the affiliated manufacturer’s
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product shall be allowed; provided that, the affiliated manufacturer produces less than five thousand
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(5,000) barrels aggregate annually of their own product. Additionally, the wholesale affiliate shall
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be limited to three thousand (3,000) barrels for wholesale distribution solely of their own product.
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An annual certification of total barrels produced and distributed shall be submitted, to the
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department of business regulation.
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(3) The annual fee for the license shall be waived when holding a valid manufacturer’s
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license.
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(c) Labor peace agreements-requirements.
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(1) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
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(i) “Bona fide labor organization” is a labor union that represents or is actively seeking to
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represent wholesale distribution workers.
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(ii) “Labor peace agreement” means an agreement between a licensee and a bona fide labor
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organization that, at a minimum, protects the state’s proprietary interests by prohibiting labor
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organizations and members from engaging in picketing, work stoppages, boycotts, and any other
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economic interference with the licensed entity.
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(iii) “Collective bargaining agreement” means an agreement between a licensee and a bona
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fide labor organization that set the terms for employees for wages, hours and other working
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conditions and otherwise meets the requirements of a labor peace agreement for the purposes of
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this section.
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(2) All wholesale distribution licensees with a relationship to an alcoholic beverage
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manufacturer pursuant to this section shall enter into, maintain, and abide by, the terms of a labor
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peace agreement, and shall annually submit to the department of business regulation an attestation
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by a bona fide labor organization stating that the applicant meets this section’s requirements.
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(3) Compliance with the requirements of this section shall be an ongoing material condition
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of the license, and any violation may result in suspension, revocation and/or non-renewal of the
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license.
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(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the National Labor Relations Act 29
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U.S.C ch. 7 §§151-169, Labor-Management Relations Act, also known as Taft-Hartley, 29 U.S.C
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§ 186, the Railway Labor Act 45 U.S.C §§ 151 et seq. or any other applicable federal laws.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES -- MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALE
LICENSES
***
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This act would allow the holder of a manufacturer’s license to sell one-sixth of a barrel keg
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or any otherwise permitted vessel containing no more than the amount of malt beverage allowed.
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The act would also provide that manufacturers of alcoholic beverages be allowed to hold a
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wholesaler’s license if they are a party to a labor peace agreement with a bona fide labor
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organization and meet certain other conditions.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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