<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 4.1-103 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 4.1-334.1, relating to alcoholic beverage control; voluntary no-buy program; court-ordered inclusion on list of excluded persons.</p>
Summary
HB980 would direct the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to create and administer a voluntary “no-buy” program for alcoholic beverages. Under the program, a person could choose to place themselves on a confidential list of excluded persons and agree not to purchase alcohol for a set exclusion period of two years, five years, or life. The bill also allows a participant to petition for removal, subject to a seven-day waiting period, and requires the Board to make reasonable efforts to stop direct marketing to participants.
The bill also authorizes courts to order a person placed on the excluded-persons list as a condition of probation or suspended sentence, or after certain alcohol-related convictions, including DUI, boating while intoxicated, commercial vehicle intoxicated driving, and related involuntary manslaughter or maiming offenses. The bill amends the ABC Board’s general powers to expressly include implementation of the program and related enforcement authority.
Impact
HB980 would expand the statutory duties and regulatory authority of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority by adding a new section to Title 4.1 and amending the Board’s general powers. It would create a new confidential exclusion mechanism affecting alcohol purchasers, licensed sellers, law-enforcement access, and the Board’s marketing and enforcement practices. It also creates a legal basis for courts to impose alcohol-purchase restrictions in criminal cases tied to intoxication-related offenses, and it exempts the participant list and personal information from FOIA disclosure.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable committee treatment early in the process, with the subcommittee and General Laws reporting it by unanimous or near-unanimous votes. However, it was later laid on the table in Appropriations, and the bill ultimately remained left in Committee, suggesting that while the policy concept had support, fiscal, administrative, or implementation concerns likely prevented final advancement.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on how the program would be administered, the confidentiality and FOIA exemption for participant information, and the scope of court-ordered placement on the no-buy list. Potential concerns also include the burden on ABC enforcement and marketing systems, the role of state agencies in assisting with administration, and whether the program’s costs or operational impacts justified moving it forward in Appropriations. Supporters appear to have favored a public-safety and treatment-oriented approach to alcohol misuse, while any opposition likely focused on privacy, due process, and implementation costs.