House approves alcohol control amendments increasing airport licenses, limiting flavored-alcohol labeling

Representative Burton presented the fifth substitute to Senate Bill 173 on March 2, describing a package of Alcohol Beverage Control Act amendments intended to update licensing and product standards.

Sponsor remarks said the substitute recalculated bar-license counts for an 18-month study period (moving some counts from 10 to 15), clarified a prohibition on advertising on state-owned conveyances, codified flavored products in retail outlets while limiting flavor-sourced alcohol to a de minimis amount (under 0.5 percent), added banquet catering licenses for restaurants with separate event rooms, and authorized 13 additional lounge licenses tied to expansion at the international airport. The sponsor also described a change permitting patrons to carry a drink to their table when escorted by restaurant staff and said the substitute prohibits marketing alcoholic "hard" sodas that mimic nonalcohol brands.

Representative Burton said prevention groups, the health department, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, religious groups and industry stakeholders worked on the language and that the result is a compromise. There was no floor discussion after presentation. Voting closed and the House adopted the fifth substitute, passing the bill 69 yes and 2 no; the measure will be returned to the Senate for further consideration.

The passage advances administrative and labeling changes in Utah's control-system alcohol framework; the next step is Senate consideration of the House-adopted substitute.