New Hampshire HB 1673: allowing certain liquor manufacturers to sell to on-premises licensees.

Bill Text

HB 1673-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2737

 08/06

HOUSE BILL 1673-FN

AN ACT allowing certain liquor manufacturers to sell to on-premises licensees. 

SPONSORS: Rep. Beaulier, Graf. 1

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

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ANALYSIS

 This bill enables small liquor manufacturers to sell directly to on-premises licensees.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2737

 08/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT allowing certain liquor manufacturers to sell to on-premises licensees. 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 Liquor Manufacturers. Amend RSA 178:6, III and III-a to read as follows: 

 III. Each liquor manufacturer shall have the right to sell at retail at its licensed manufacturing facility and to on-premises licensees no more than the equivalent of 3,000 9-liter cases for off-premises consumption any of its liquor. Each retail sale shall be limited to one 9-liter case or less per sale. No liquor manufacturer shall sell more than 12 9-liter cases of liquor to any one customer in any calendar year. 

 III-a. Each liquor manufacturer licensed to distill less than 1,000 cases of liquor per year may sell at retail at its facility for off-premises consumption and to on-premises licensees any of its liquor. Each retail sale shall be limited to one 9-liter case or less per sale. No liquor manufacturer licensed to distill less than 1,000 cases of liquor per year shall sell more than 12 9-liter cases of liquor to any one customer in any calendar year. 

 2 Purchase of Supplies. Amend RSA 179:32, II to read as follows: 

 II. An on-premises licensee, with the approval of the commission, may purchase its supplies of liquor and wine from an agency store or directly from a small liquor manufacturer under RSA 178:6. 

 3 Repeal. RSA 178:6,V, relative to prohibiting small liquor manufacturers from selling directly to on-premises licensees, is repealed. 

 4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage. 

 LBA

 26-2737

 12/9/25

HB 1673-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT allowing certain liquor manufacturers to sell to on-premises licensees. 

FISCAL IMPACT: 

 Estimated State Impact

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

FY 2029

 Revenue

$0

($2,646,000)

($2,646,000)

($2,646,000)

 Revenue Fund(s)

Liquor Fund/General Fund - Liquor revenue is credited to the liquor fund, with net revenues after expenditures being credited to the state general fund.

 Expenditures*

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

None

 Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

None

 *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

METHODOLOGY:

This bill amends RSA 178:6 and RSA 179:32 to allow certain small liquor manufacturers to sell directly to on-premises licensees. Under current law, the State Liquor Commission is the exclusive wholesaler of spirits in New Hampshire. Allowing manufacturers to bypass the Commission for wholesale sales to on-premises licensees results in the loss of spirits markup revenue that would otherwise be retained by the State. 

The Liquor Commission states this bill results in a direct loss of revenue with no replacement mechanism, as the bill does not impose alternative fees, taxes, or compensation to offset displaced wholesale sales. In recent years, the Commission has supported small manufacturers through marketing, promotion, and wholesale distribution services at no cost to the licensee. It is unclear whether these services would continue if manufacturers may self-wholesale.

Using recent sales data, the Liquor Commission estimates that the total number of bottles affected by this change would be approximately 252,000 per year. The Commission estimated the lost profit per bottle to the State to be $10.50, which is based on average cost and mark-up. Multiplying 252,000 bottles by $10.50 results in an annual State revenue loss of approximately $2,646,000. 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Liquor Commission