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SB1620 • 2026

Alcoholic Beverages

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57, relative to consumption of alcoholic beverages on premises.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Briggs, Eldridge
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 24, Nays 2
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on enforcement or additional requirements for businesses.

Alcoholic Beverage Consumption on Premises

This bill changes Tennessee laws to allow certain places like resorts, restaurants, and theaters to sell alcoholic drinks.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes New Cumberland Resort and other locations as 'premier type tourist resorts' that can offer liquor by the drink.
  • Lists Speedy B's/Krish Enterprise Inc. and Jose Casa's Mexican Restaurant as 'restaurants' allowed to offer liquor by the drink.
  • Designates the Harrell Performing Arts Theater as a 'community theater' where people can buy drinks with alcohol.
  • Allows the Cheekwood Golf Club, Crestmoor at Green Hills, Market Square in Knoxville, and Tan Assets, LLC to sell drinks with alcohol on their premises.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who visit New Cumberland Resort, Tossed Italian Grill, Madison Social Club, Sunset Marina and Resort, Ancient Lore Village, Hensley's Corner Market and Grill, Island Pointe Golf Course, Estate at Sweetwater Creek, Loser's Most Wanted Bar/Riley Green's Duck Blind, Ocoee Cigar Lounge, USA Raft Adventure Resort, Grateful Shed, Lodge 2A, 111 Motorcars, Ernest Tubb Record Shop and Hank Williams Boogie Bar, W Nashville, Rallo's Bar & Grill, Belle Meade Village, Paseo Nashville, Ciel of Germantown, Riverbend Country Club Golf Course, Volunteer Club, LLC, Speedy B's/Krish Enterprise Inc., Jose Casa's Mexican Restaurant, Harrell Performing Arts Theater, Cheekwood Golf Club, Crestmoor at Green Hills, Market Square in Knoxville, and Tan Assets, LLC.

Terms To Know

Premier Type Tourist Resort
A special kind of resort that can sell drinks with alcohol to visitors.
Community Theater
A theater where people can buy drinks with alcohol during performances.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how these changes will be enforced or monitored.
  • It is unclear if there are any additional requirements for businesses to meet before they can start selling drinks with alcohol.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1652

Plain English: The amendment adds specific definitions and allowances for various facilities to serve alcoholic beverages under certain conditions.

  • Adds a new definition of 'community theater' with detailed specifications including location, capacity, and amenities.
  • Includes provisions for a for-profit recreational club operating a public golf course with specified seating and square footage requirements.
  • Establishes rules for a commercially operated restaurant and lounge in a specific mall area, allowing it to serve alcohol under certain conditions.
  • Allows a membership-based social club located in a high-population county near specific landmarks to store and serve alcoholic beverages.
  • The amendment includes several detailed provisions that are very specific to particular locations and facilities, which may limit its applicability beyond these cases.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1620

Plain English: The amendment adds specific definitions to Tennessee law regarding community theaters, clubs, and commercially operated facilities that allow for the consumption of alcoholic beverages under certain conditions.

  • Defines a 'community theater' with specific criteria including location in H.W. Cox Park within a municipality of a specified population range.
  • Adds a definition for a 'club' as a for-profit recreational club operating on a golf course near the Harpeth River, also specifying its location and population range.
  • Includes a new subdivision for a commercially operated restaurant and lounge with specific seating arrangements and location details.
  • Allows certain facilities to permit members to store their own alcoholic beverages in personal lockers within the facility.
  • The amendment includes detailed specifications that may not apply broadly beyond the specified locations and conditions.
  • Some sections refer to unique geographic features or historical landmarks, which limits their applicability.
Amendment 2-0 to SB1620

Plain English: The amendment adds specific definitions and allowances to Tennessee's alcohol consumption laws for various facilities like community theaters, recreational clubs, restaurants, marinas, and master-planned developments.

  • Adds a definition of 'community theater' that includes specific details about its location, size, capacity, and amenities in a particular city.
  • Includes provisions for a for-profit recreational club with a golf course and clubhouse near the Harpeth River.
  • Allows a full-service restaurant and lounge to serve alcohol under certain conditions within a specified county.
  • Permits a commercial or private facility operated by a social club, located in a large population area, to have lockers for members' personal alcoholic beverages.
  • The amendment text is very specific about locations and facilities, which may limit its applicability beyond the described areas.
  • Some sections refer to unique local landmarks or businesses that are not generally applicable elsewhere.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 24, Nays 2

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0508)

  3. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0941)

  4. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026

  5. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026

  6. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  7. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026

  8. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  9. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  10. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  11. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  12. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026

  14. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/8/2026

  15. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 2

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  18. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  19. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 3/31/2026

  20. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  21. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  22. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  23. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  26. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  28. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  30. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 0

  31. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/24/2026

  32. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 2/24/2026

  33. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  34. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  35. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/17/2026

  36. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  37. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  38. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  39. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  40. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  42. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1620, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revisions to present law:



Establishes each of the following as a "premier type tourist resort" that can offer liquor by the drink:

o

New Cumberland Resort
o

Tossed Italian Grill
o

Madison Social Club
o

Sunset Marina and Resort
o

Ancient Lore Village
o

Hensley's Corner Market and Grill
o

Island Pointe Golf Course
o

Estate at Sweetwater Creek
o

Loser's Most Wanted Bar/Riley Green's Duck Blind
o

Ocoee Cigar Lounge
o

USA Raft Adventure Resort
o

Grateful Shed
o

Lodge 2A
o

111 Motorcars
o

Ernest Tubb Record Shop and Hank Williams Boogie Bar
o

W Nashville
o

Rallo's Bar & Grill
o

Belle Meade Village
o

Paseo Nashville
o

Ciel of Germantown
o

Riverbend Country Club Golf Course
o

Volunteer Club, LLC



Establishes each of the following as a "restaurant" that can offer liquor by the drink:

o

Speedy B's/Krish Enterprise Inc.
o

Jose Casa's Mexican Restaurant



Establishes the Harrell Performing Arts Theater as a "community theater" that can offer liquor by the drink.



Establishes the Cheekwood Golf Club as a "club" that can offer liquor by the drink.



Establishes Crestmoor at Green Hills as a "retirement center" that can offer liquor by the drink.



Establishes Market Square in Knoxville as a "premises" that can offer liquor by the drink.



Establishes Tan Assets, LLC, as a "commercial passenger boat company" that can offer liquor by the drink.



Clarifies that, for the purposes of establishing "restaurants" that can offer liquor by the drink, such a term also means a commercially operated facility that is located within a special historic district.



Clarifies that a "commercial passenger boat company" that can offer liquor by the drink is authorized to store alcoholic beverages and beer at any location within a county in which the vessel docks, if the docking location is within the boundaries of a local government that has approved the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1652
By Eldridge

SENATE BILL 1620
By Briggs
SB1620
011130
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 57,
relative to consumption of alcoholic beverages on
premises.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 57-4-205, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(e) The commission shall produce an annual report listing the persons convicted
under this section in the previous year and file such report with the chair of the state and
local government committee of the senate and the chair of the committee having
jurisdiction over consumption of alcoholic beverages on premises in the house of
representatives. The first report must include all convictions since this section became
law and be filed no later than December 1, 2026. All subsequent reports must be filed
no later than December 1 each year.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.