HBA-CMT S.B. 1127 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1127 By: Brown, J. E. "Buster" Licensing & Administrative Procedures 4/17/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code permits the sale of distilled spirits in containers of less than six fluid ounces provided the sale is made to the holder of an airline beverage permit or a mixed beverage permit holder. Package stores, however, are not authorized to sell distilled spirits in containers of less than six fluid ounces. Senate Bill 1127 authorizes the retail sale of distilled spirits in 1.6 fluid ounce containers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 1127 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to prohibit any person from importing, selling, or possessing with the intent to sell any liquor in a container with a capacity of less than 1.6 rather than six fluid ounces. The bill provides that a container of liquor offered for sale that has a capacity of six fluid ounces must substantially conform to the labeling requirements of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms for the larger containers in which liquor is sold. The bill sets forth provisions for the packaging of liquor for sale that is bottled in containers of less than six fluid ounces. The bill authorizes spirit coolers as described in the definition of "distilled spirits" to be sold in containers with a capacity of less than 355 milliliters. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.