Texas Laws - Alcoholic Beverage Code (pg. 1)
Alcoholic Beverage Code

pg. 1

Texas Laws | Alcoholic Beverage Code

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE ⁽¹⁾(Text)

TITLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS ⁽²⁾(Text)

Updated: 08/03/2018 at 12:30:48. Including revisions from the 2017 Texas Legislature. ⁽³⁾

CHAPTER 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS ⁽⁴⁾(Text)

Sec. 1.01. PURPOSE OF CODE. ⁽⁵⁾(Text)

(a) This code is enacted as a part of the state's continuing statutory revision program, begun by the Texas Legislative Council in 1963 as directed by the legislature in Chapter 448, Acts of the 58th Legislature, 1963 (Article 5429b-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes). The program contemplates a topic-by-topic revision of the state's general and permanent statute law without substantive change. ⁽⁶⁾

(b) Consistent with the objectives of the statutory revision program, the purpose of this code is to make the general and permanent alcoholic beverage law more accessible and understandable, by: ⁽⁷⁾

(1) rearranging the statutes into a more logical order; ⁽⁸⁾

(2) employing a format and numbering system designed to facilitate citation of the law and to accommodate future expansion of the law; ⁽⁹⁾

(3) eliminating repealed, duplicative, unconstitutional, expired, executed, and other ineffective provisions; and ⁽¹⁰⁾

(4) restating the law in modern American English to the greatest extent possible. ⁽¹¹⁾

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 393, ch. 194, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. ⁽¹²⁾

Sec. 1.02. CONSTRUCTION OF CODE. ⁽¹³⁾(Text)

The Code Construction Act (Chapter 311, Government Code) applies to the construction of each provision in this code, except as otherwise expressly provided by this code. ⁽¹⁴⁾

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 393, ch. 194, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 67, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. ⁽¹⁵⁾

Sec. 1.03. PUBLIC POLICY. ⁽¹⁶⁾(Text)

This code is an exercise of the police power of the state for the protection of the welfare, health, peace, temperance, and safety of the people of the state. It shall be liberally construed to accomplish this purpose. ⁽¹⁷⁾

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 393, ch. 194, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. ⁽¹⁸⁾

Sec. 1.04. DEFINITIONS. ⁽¹⁹⁾(Text)

In this code: ⁽²⁰⁾

(1) "Alcoholic beverage" means alcohol, or any beverage containing more than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume, which is capable of use for beverage purposes, either alone or when diluted. ⁽²¹⁾

(2) "Consignment sale" means: ⁽²²⁾

(A) the delivery of alcoholic beverages under an agreement, arrangement, condition, or system by which the person receiving the beverages has the right at any time to relinquish possession to them or to return them to the shipper and in which title to the beverages remains in the shipper; ⁽²³⁾

(B) the delivery of alcoholic beverages under an agreement, arrangement, condition, or system by which the person designated as the receiver merely acts as an intermediary for the shipper or seller and the actual receiver; ⁽²⁴⁾

(C) the delivery of alcoholic beverages to a factor or broker; ⁽²⁵⁾

(D) any method employed by a shipper or seller by which a person designated as the purchaser of alcoholic beverages does not in fact purchase the beverages; ⁽²⁶⁾

(E) any method employed by a shipper or seller by which a person is placed in actual or constructive possession of an alcoholic beverage without acquiring title to the beverage; or ⁽²⁷⁾

(F) any other type of transaction which may legally be construed as a consignment sale. ⁽²⁸⁾

(3) "Distilled spirits" means alcohol, spirits of wine, whiskey, rum, brandy, gin, or any liquor produced in whole or in part by the process of distillation, including all dilutions or mixtures of them, and includes spirit coolers that may have an alcoholic content as low as four percent alcohol by volume and that contain plain, sparkling, or carbonated water and may also contain one or more natural or artificial blending or flavoring ingredients. ⁽²⁹⁾

(4) "Illicit beverage" means an alcoholic beverage: ⁽³⁰⁾

(A) manufactured, distributed, bought, sold, bottled, rectified, blended, treated, fortified, mixed, processed, warehoused, stored, possessed, imported, or transported in violation of this code; ⁽³¹⁾

(B) on which a tax imposed by the laws of this state has not been paid and to which the tax stamp, if required, has not been affixed; or ⁽³²⁾

(C) possessed, kept, stored, owned, or imported with intent to manufacture, sell, distribute, bottle, rectify, blend, treat, fortify, mix, process, warehouse, store, or transport in violation of this code. ⁽³³⁾

(5) "Liquor" means any alcoholic beverage containing alcohol in excess of four percent by weight, unless otherwise indicated. Proof that an alcoholic beverage is alcohol, spirits of wine, whiskey, liquor, wine, brandy, gin, rum, ale, malt liquor, tequila, mescal, habanero, or barreteago, is prima facie evidence that it is liquor. ⁽³⁴⁾

(6) "Person" means a natural person or association of natural persons, trustee, receiver, partnership, corporation, organization, or the manager, agent, servant, or employee of any of them. ⁽³⁵⁾

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