Pennsylvania HB 1702: An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, in preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in licenses and regulations, liquor, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages, further providing for unlawful acts relative to liquor, alcohol and liquor licensees.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2089
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1702
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY GOUGHNOUR, GIRAL, DEASY, FEE, MAYES, K.HARRIS,
POWELL, GAYDOS, SANCHEZ, NEILSON AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,
JULY 7, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LIQUOR CONTROL, JULY 7, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), entitled "An
act relating to alcoholic liquors, alcohol and malt and
brewed beverages; amending, revising, consolidating and
changing the laws relating thereto; regulating and
restricting the manufacture, purchase, sale, possession,
consumption, importation, transportation, furnishing, holding
in bond, holding in storage, traffic in and use of alcoholic
liquors, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages and the
persons engaged or employed therein; defining the powers and
duties of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board; providing
for the establishment and operation of State liquor stores,
for the payment of certain license fees to the respective
municipalities and townships, for the abatement of certain
nuisances and, in certain cases, for search and seizure
without warrant; prescribing penalties and forfeitures;
providing for local option, and repealing existing laws," in
preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions;
and, in licenses and regulations, liquor, alcohol and malt
and brewed beverages, further providing for unlawful acts
relative to liquor, alcohol and liquor licensees.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "manufacture" in section 102 of
the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor
Code, is amended and the section is amended by adding a
definition to read:
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Section 102. Definitions.--The following words or phrases,
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in this section:
* * *
"Manufacture", when the term is applied to malt or brewed
beverages, shall mean and include all means, methods and
processes used, employed and made use of, to produce, make and
manufacture for commercial purposes, malt or brewed beverages
from raw materials; when applied otherwise, it shall mean and
include all means, methods and processes used, employed and made
use of, to produce and make alcohol or liquor from raw
materials, and shall mean and include rectification and blending
of alcohol and liquor, the production, recovery or reuse of
alcohol in the making, developing, using in the process of
manufacture, denaturing, redistilling or recovering of any
alcohol or liquor in distilleries, denaturing plants and
wineries. The term shall not include the blending and storing
overnight by a retail licensee of alcohol and liquor into a
ready - to - draft pre-mixed keg cocktail.
* * *
"Ready-to-draft pre-mixed keg cocktail" shall mean a beverage
prepared on the licensed premises of a retail liquor licensee,
in which a nonalcoholic cocktail base, consisting of juices,
syrups, bitters, carbonated or noncarbonated water or other
flavorings, is combined with liquor in a sealed keg or similar
container for the purpose of dispensing cocktails for on-
premises consumption using a gas-driven system.
* * *
Section 2. Section 491(4) of the act is amended to read:
Section 491. Unlawful Acts Relative to Liquor, Alcohol and
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Liquor Licensees.--
It shall be unlawful--
* * *
(4) Possession and Use of Decanters. For any person to use
decanters of alcoholic beverages except that the use of
decanters or other similar receptacles by licensees shall be
permitted in the case of wines and then only in accordance with
the regulations of the board, but nothing herein contained shall
prohibit the manufacture and possession of wine as provided in
clause (2) of this section. For purposes of this clause, "other
similar receptacles" shall not include the keg or any containers
used in making ready-to-draft pre-mixed keg cocktails as defined
in section 102.
* * *
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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