Home delivery of alcohol gains OK from General Assembly

Restaurants, supermarkets and liquor stores would be able to make home deliveries of beer, wine, and distilled spirits in Georgia under a bill that has cleared the General Assembly.

The state House of Representatives gave the legislation final passage 114-45 Thursday, two days after it cleared the Georgia Senate overwhelmingly.

Supporters argued legalizing home delivery of alcoholic beverages is particularly timely in the midst of a global pandemic that has forced Georgians to shelter in their homes.

“COVID-19 has shown we need this in the state of Georgia,” said Rep. Kasey Carpenter, R-Dalton.

As has been the case with other liquor-related legislation the General Assembly has passed in recent years, the home-delivery bill is subject to approval by local voters.

“A local community can say, ‘Not in our town. Not in our city,’” said Rep. Brett Harrell, R-Snellville, who introduced the bill into the House.

The Senate loaded up Harrell’s bill with a number of other related provisions as it made its way through that chamber.

It would broaden the so-called “Sunday brunch bill” the legislature passed two years ago allowing restaurants, hotels and wineries to serve alcohol on premises starting at 11 a.m. on Sundays.

Under the new bill, the law would be extended to sales of liquor by grocery stores for off-premises consumption.

The legislation also would expand the current law allowing tastings of limited amounts of beer, wine and spirits from wineries and distilleries to package stores.

The measure now goes to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature.