On Monday Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill into law that will allow you to go one step further in supporting your favorite restaurants while staying home. House Bill 879 permits wine, beer and liquor to be delivered to your home from restaurants, bars, convenience stores and grocery stores. This is great news right?
Implementation to be Delayed
So you’ll be able to add a local craft beer to your next UberEats order from your favorite neighborhood restaurant? Not so fast. It will likely be several months before the law is fully implemented. The Department of Revenue now needs to draw up their own regulations businesses must follow in order to comply with the law. There are several safety measures that must be in place in order for the new law to not conflict with other laws, such as age requirements. For example, HB879 requires that deliveries be accepted in person and signed for by someone over the age of 21 who shows ID. Local municipalities are also allowed to opt out of the law, and prevent alcohol deliveries from occurring inside their boundaries.
Breweries Among Those Left Out
The state’s breweries, brewpubs, wineries and distilleries have been conspicuously left out of the bill, and will not be able to deliver their locally made products direct to customers. These businesses can still only sell to wholesalers who distribute to businesses such as liquor stores, grocery stores and restaurants, so the only way you will be able to have locally produced alcohol delivered to you is via an order from a restaurant or retail location that carries their product. Hopefully this oversight will be corrected soon, so that these local businesses can also benefit from the increased sales home delivery would bring.