Alting: Bill to Remove Indiana’s Outdated Alcohol Laws Passes Senate

STATEHOUSE (March 6, 2018) — House Bill 1419, which would remove outdated alcohol provisions from Indiana Code, recently passed the Senate by a vote of 41-8, said State Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette).

HB 1419, sponsored by Alting, would allow alcoholic beverages of any type to be sold from a portable structure or cart on a golf course. Under current law, golf courses are only allowed to sell malt beverages from portable structures or carts.

Additionally, the bill would:

• require a municipal riverfront development to be on a river that is determined to be navigable to qualify for a permit;
• change the “entertainment complex” language to include nonprofit theaters and music centers, such as The Phoenix Theatre and Hilbert Circle Theatre, so they may serve alcohol during events; and
• allow for the holder of a retailer’s permit, such as restaurants and social clubs to “run a tab” for a customer purchasing alcohol for personal use.

An amendment authored by Alting that would benefit students of the Purdue School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) program was also added to the bill. The amendment would allow a student to work as a waiter or waitress without having attended a server program or obtaining a service certificate if the following requirements are met:

• the restaurant is operated by an accredited hospitality management program primarily for educational purposes;
• the student is enrolled in a state educational institution and a course offered by the accredited hospitality management program;
• the restaurant or program does not pay the person to work at the licensed premises; and
• the student works under the supervision of an instructor employed by the state educational institution.

“With this bill, we are taking steps to modernize our outdated alcohol code. These provisions are common sense and support the arts, economic development and students at university hospitality programs in Indiana,” Alting said. “Additionally, the amendment could encourage more students to take these classes, if they knew they wouldn’t face the roadblocks to obtaining the permit. As a Purdue alum and restaurateur, I appreciate the quality of the Purdue HTM program – they truly have one of the best in the country.”

HB 1419 now moves back to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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Contact: Lauren Beatty, Press Secretary
Lauren.Beatty@iga.in.gov
317-234-9221