Retail Report | Alabama Retail Association

House Passes Bill Allowing Ready-to-Drink Beverages in Grocery and Convenience Stores
A bill that allows ready-to-drink spirits to be sold alongside beer and wine in grocery stores and gas stations passed in the Alabama House on Tuesday. Sponsored by Rep. Craig Lipscomb, R-Gadsden, HB521 defines a new category of “mixed spirit beverages” and establishes a licensing structure for their distribution. The bill stipulates that the single-serve beverages can contain no more than 7% alcohol by volume and are taxed at 3.5 cents per ounce. The bill passed with a vote of 68-25 and will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Changes to SSUT Distribution Approved by Committee
Under current law, a percentage of the net proceeds from the Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) is distributed to municipalities based on population. SB107, introduced by Sen. David Sessions, R-Grand Bay, proposes that the population of a municipality can be adjusted every five years following the release of the federal decennial census. This legislation also allows for recalculations due to annexation, de-annexation, or incorporation. The bill received a favorable report from the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee.

Bill to Address Physician Communication with Patients Receives Committee Vote
Sen. Tim Melson’s, R-Florence, legislation to prevent health insurance companies and other organizations from restricting what healthcare providers can communicate to patients received a favorable report from the House Health Committee. Sen. Melson explained that the legislation will allow doctors to talk freely about medical alternatives and costs.

Senate Committee OKs Bill to Broaden the Definition of Cigarettes
After a public hearing last week, the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee approved an amended version of HB357. This legislation aims to broaden the definition of “cigarette” to include heated tobacco products and establish a tax rate of $0.017 per single-use consumable unit. The Committee amended the bill to specifically include “cigarettes intended to be heated” and changed the bill’s effective date to November 1, 2025.

Substituted Wire Transfer Bill Receives Favorable Committee Vote
As introduced, HB297, sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Fiddler, R-Fairhope, would impose a 4% fee on international wire transfers originating from Alabama. A substitute was approved this week by the House Financial Services Committee. Instead of a fee on each transfer, the bill now requires licensees, such as Western Union and MoneyGram, to report suspicious transactions to the Alabama Securities Commission. It also gives the Commission power to assess penalties for violations. The bill is slated to be considered by the House on Tuesday, April 29.

House Passes Bill to Give Consumers More Control Over Personal Data
A bill that grants consumers various rights concerning the collection of their personal data has been approved by the House. Introduced by Rep. Mike Shaw, R-Vestavia Hills, HB283 allows consumers the ability to confirm if their data is being processed, correct inaccuracies, delete their data, obtain a copy of their data, and opt out of data processing for targeted advertising, data sales and profiling. The bill was substituted to incorporate several technical changes.

Public Hearing Held and Committee Approval Given to Vape Enforcement Bill
HB8, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D- Mobile aims to strengthen enforcement of vape products illegally sold to those 21 and under. The Senate Healthcare Committee held a public hearing and approved the legislation, which seeks to establish new fees for the filing and permitting of the distribution of tobacco, tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems, and alternative nicotine products.

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