Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB519

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/25/25
• Refer: 3/25/25

Caption

In Pennsylvania Liquor Stores, further providing for sales by Pennsylvania Liquor Stores.

Summary

SB 519 amends Pennsylvania’s Liquor Code provisions governing sales by Pennsylvania Liquor Stores. The bill would expressly allow state liquor stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails at wholesale to certain licensed businesses, including hotels, restaurants, clubs, and rail, steamship, and pullman companies, and to distributors and importing distributors that hold a ready-to-drink cocktail permit. It also preserves existing wholesale sales to pharmacists, hospitals, and other authorized purchasers, while continuing the 10% wholesale discount for most licensees. The bill further authorizes the Liquor Control Board to create a discount program for wholesale licensees who pick up purchases at board-designated locations, including warehouses, and gives the board discretion to set discount amounts and minimum purchase requirements. For delivery to wholesale licensees, the board may contract through the Commonwealth bidding process, with delivery costs borne by the receiving licensee. For delivery to retail licensees and permit holders, the bill changes payment rules to allow payment by credit card or electronic fund transfer and, under board regulations, payment within 30 days of delivery rather than only at the time of delivery.

Impact

SB 519 would amend Section 305 of the Liquor Code, expanding and clarifying the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s authority over wholesale sales and delivery arrangements. It would affect state liquor store operations, licensed hospitality businesses, distributors, importing distributors, and permit holders by formalizing sales of ready-to-drink cocktails and by creating more flexible payment and pickup/delivery options. The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text, the measure appears operational and business-oriented, aimed at modernizing liquor store sales and logistics rather than making a controversial policy shift. The absence of recorded votes or discussion suggests sentiment cannot be reliably characterized from the provided materials.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues implied by the text include the expansion of ready-to-drink cocktail wholesale sales, the Liquor Control Board’s discretion to set discount and minimum purchase parameters, and the shift to delayed payment for some deliveries. These provisions could draw interest from licensees, distributors, and regulators, but no stakeholder positions are included in the record.