COMMERCIAL REGULATIONS: Provides relative to certain acts on a licensed establishment. (8/1/26)
Summary
SB 510 amends Louisiana’s alcohol-permit laws to expand the existing prohibition on intentionally enticing, aiding, or allowing minors under 18 to visit or loiter on premises where alcoholic beverages or beer are the principal commodities sold, handled, or given away. The bill adds premises where consumable hemp products are the principal commodities sold, handled, or given away, bringing those establishments under the same restriction that already applies to alcohol-focused retail locations.
The bill also preserves an exception for events sponsored by qualifying religious, charitable, or fraternal organizations, so long as the organization has the specified federal tax-exempt status and no alcoholic beverages are sold, handled, given away, or accessible while minors are present. The measure applies to the sections governing retail dealer permits and related licensed premises, and violations remain tied to permit suspension or revocation under existing law.
Impact
SB 510 amends R.S. 26:90 and 26:286, Louisiana’s provisions governing prohibited acts on licensed premises, by extending the minor-loitering/enticement restriction to establishments where consumable hemp products are the principal commodities. This broadens the scope of permit-holder compliance obligations and gives alcohol regulatory authorities an additional basis to enforce permit penalties, including suspension or revocation, against covered retail establishments.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly noncontroversial and received unanimous support in the Senate, passing 38-0 before being signed into law as Act 392. The lack of recorded committee opposition or debate suggests general agreement with the measure’s goal of protecting minors and clarifying rules for licensed premises that sell hemp-related products alongside or instead of alcohol.
Contention
The main policy issue is the expansion of restrictions from alcohol-centric premises to businesses where consumable hemp products are the principal commodity, which could affect retailers that do not primarily operate as bars or liquor stores. Any concern would likely center on how broadly the new language reaches hemp-product businesses and whether it imposes additional compliance burdens, but the available record shows no formal opposition or recorded controversy. The bill also retains a narrow exemption for certain nonprofit-sponsored events, indicating attention to preserving community and charitable functions.