Committee debate on raising beer alcohol limits pits grocery industry against public‑safety advocates

Senate Bill 411, introduced by Senator Missy Irvin and amended in committee, would update state alcohol code to let grocery and convenience retailers sell malt beverages with higher alcohol-by-weight (ABW) levels than currently allowed for off-premise beer sales.

Steve Good, representing the Arkansas Grocers and Retail Merchants and an independent supermarket owner, told the committee the change levels a longstanding regulatory mismatch that allows wine at higher ABW in grocery stores than many malt beverages. "This is purely a free-market issue," Good said, explaining that some local craft beers are barred from supermarket shelves under current ABW limits and that the change would expand consumer choice and support Arkansas breweries.

Industry supporters included Ryan O'Connor, a third-generation distributor, and Barry Capps, an Anheuser‑Busch distributor; both urged modernization to keep Arkansas competitive with neighboring states and noted some breweries had curtailed offerings because of the current limit. "Arkansas continues to be an outlier," O'Connor said.

Opponents included Teresa Beaulieu, who testified from a substance-abuse–prevention perspective and cited student‑survey data and concerns about youth access and stronger beverage potency. "All beverages are not created equal," Beaulieu said, urging caution and noting she feared higher‑ABW beers could increase risks for young drinkers. Small liquor-store owners testified that higher‑ABW availability in supermarkets would further erode their market niche and risk rural business closures.

Arkansas ABC staff (Michael Lewis) told the committee that permit types differ in statutory location restrictions (for example, distance-from-school rules apply to retail liquor-store permits but not to grocery-store wine permits), and that ABC enforces violations but had not recently revoked permits for either grocery or liquor retailers on the specific issue.

After extended testimony and questioning on public-safety implications, underage access and economic effects on small retailers, the chair called the vote; the floor record shows voice votes and procedural movement but the committee did not advance SB411 from this hearing. The sponsor and both sides were encouraged to continue negotiations outside the hearing room.

The committee recessed for lunch with the airport authority bill still pending on the agenda.