Compare versions

--- version:As IntroducedOpens in a new window
+++ version:(document, no version)
@@ -1,172 +1,24 @@
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 1 of 7
+H.376
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-H.376 1
-Introduced by Representatives Nugent of South Burlington, Bos-Lun of 2
-Westminster, Cina of Burlington, Cordes of Bristol, Headrick of 3
-Burlington, McGill of Bridport, Ode of Burlington, Pouech of 4
-Hinesburg, and Priestley of Bradford 5
-Referred to Committee on  6
-Date:  7
-Subject: Alcoholic beverages; manufacturers and rectifiers; labeling 8
-requirements; taxes  9
-Statement of purpose of bill as introduced:  This bill proposes to (1)  require all 10
-alcoholic beverages sold in the State to bear a label containing a statement of 11
-the alcohol content in U.S. Standard Drinks; (2)  increase the gallonage taxes 12
-on malt beverages and vinous beverages; (3)  increase the excise tax on spirits; 13
-(4)  create the Treatment and Recovery Fund, dedicate the proceeds of the 14
-gallonage tax to the Fund, and establish the purposes for which monies from 15
-the Fund may be disbursed; and (5)  require the Division of Liquor Control to 16
-study and report on compliance with Vermont law governing the shipment of 17
-alcoholic beverages to consumers. 18
-An act relating to the creation of the Treatment and Recovery Fund and the 19
-labeling and taxation of alcoholic beverages 20
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 2 of 7
+An act relating to the creation of the Treatment and Recovery Fund and the labeling and taxation of alcoholic beverages
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:  1
-* * * Labeling Requirement; U.S. Standard Drink Equivalent * * * 2
-Sec. 1.  FINDINGS, INTENT, AND SHORT TITLE 3
-(a)  The General Assembly finds: 4
-(1)  the State of Vermont is currently experiencing an education funding 5
-crisis and one of the central drivers of the increased education fund pressures 6
-are the costs associated with treating mental health needs of youth and 7
-families;  8
-(2)  there is a need to fund mental health, treatment, and recovery 9
-resources;  10
-(3)  the consumption of alcoholic beverages is a significant factor for 11
-mental health, overdoses, and cancer diagnoses; 12
-(4)  the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages requires that the 13
-consumer be adequately informed of the beverage and its contents; and 14
-(5)  according to the 2024 Direct to Consumer Shipping Pilot Program 15
-conducted by the Department of Liquor and Lottery, 100% of the direct-to-16
-consumer shipments received under the Program failed to fully comply with 17
-Vermont law.  18
-(b)  Therefore, it is the intent of the General Assembly that: 19
-(1)  all alcoholic beverages sold in the State bear a label that discloses 20
-the alcohol content in a form and manner that adequately informs the consumer 21
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 3 of 7
+Sponsors:
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-of serving size and that alcohol content labeling be consistent throughout all 1
-beverage alcohol categories; and 2
-(2)  the gallonage tax on certain alcoholic beverages be increased to 3
-offset the continuing costs of support services and that all proceeds be 4
-deposited in a special fund for that purpose. 5
-Sec. 2.  7 V.S.A. § 6 is added to read: 6
-§ 6.  ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS; LABELING 7
-(a)  Malt beverages, vinous beverages, and ready-to-drink spirits beverages.  8
-A manufacturer or rectifier of malt beverages, vinous beverages, or ready-to-9
-drink spirits beverages shall not sell or distribute its alcoholic beverages in the 10
-State unless the labeling or packaging of the product includes a statement of 11
-alcohol content in U.S. Standard Drinks.  The statement of alcohol content in 12
-U.S. Standard drinks shall be in a format permitted under the labeling 13
-regulations adopted by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. 14
-(b)  Spirits and fortified wines.  The Department of Liquor and Lottery, and 15
-any manufacturer or rectifier that sells unopened containers at a fourth-class 16
-location, shall affix a statement of alcohol content label on all spirits and 17
-fortified wines sold in the State.  The label shall state the alcohol content of the 18
-beverage in U.S. Standard Drinks.  The Department shall provide labels to the 19
-holder of a fourth-class license for purposes of labeling unopened containers 20
-sold from the premises.  The Department may adopt requirements for the form, 21
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 4 of 7
+Rep.  Kate Nugent,
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-format, and contents of the label by rule pursuant to 3 V.S.A. chapter 25, 1
-provided that the statement of alcohol content shall be in a format permitted 2
-under the labeling regulations adopted by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and 3
-Trade Bureau. 4
-(c)  Any alcoholic beverage sold in the State shall bear a cancer warning 5
-and serving facts label.  The cancer warning shall state “WARNING:  Drinking 6
-alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk and, if consumed during 7
-pregnancy, can cause birth defects.”  The serving facts label shall state the 8
-following: 9
-(1)  serving size in U.S. Standard Drinks; 10
-(2)  alcohol by volume; 11
-(3)  calories per U.S. Standard Drink; and 12
-(4)  measurements in grams for total fat, saturated fat, sodium, total 13
-carbohydrates, total sugars, added sugars, and protein. 14
-* * * Taxes on Alcoholic Beverages * * * 15
-Sec. 3.  7 V.S.A. § 421 is amended to read: 16
-§ 421.  TAX ON MALT AND VINOUS BEVERAGES 17
-(a)  Every packager and wholesale dealer shall pay to the Commissioner of 18
-Taxes: 19
-(1)  the sum of 26 and one-half cents $1.36 per gallon for every gallon or 20
-its equivalent of: 21
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 5 of 7
+,
+Rep.  Michelle Bos-Lun, Rep.  Brian Cina, Rep.  Mari Cordes, Rep.  Troy Headrick, Rep.  Jubilee McGill, Rep.  Carol Ode, Rep.  Phil Pouech, Rep.  Monique Priestley,
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-(A)  malt beverages containing not more than six percent of alcohol 1
-by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit sold by them to retailers in the State; and 2
-(B)  or hard ciders containing not more than seven percent of alcohol 3
-by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit sold by them to retailers in the State; 4
-(2)  the sum of 55 cents $3.75 per gallon for each gallon of: 5
-(A) malt beverages containing more than six percent of alcohol by 6
-volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit; 7
-(B) hard ciders containing more than seven percent of alcohol by 8
-volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit sold by them to retailers in the State; and 9
-(C)  vinous beverages sold by them to retailers in the State; and 10
-(3)  the sum of $1.10 $1.36 per gallon of ready-to-drink spirits beverages 11
-sold by them to retailers in the State. 12
-* * * 13
-(g)  Beginning on July 1, 2027 and on each subsequent July 1, the sums in 14
-subsection (a) of this section shall be increased by the percentage increase of 15
-the Consumer Price Index, CPI-U, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, 16
-or successor index, as calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor or successor 17
-agency for the 12 months preceding the previous September 1.  The sums shall 18
-be rounded off to the nearest $0.01. 19
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 6 of 7
+Location: House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-Sec. 4.  7 V.S.A. § 421a is added to read: 1
-§ 421a.  TREATMENT AND RECOVERY FUND 2
-(a)  There is created the Treatment and Recovery Fund, a special fund 3
-established and managed pursuant to 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter 5 and 4
-administered by the Department of Health.  The Fund shall consist of all 5
-monies collected by the Commissioner of Taxes pursuant to section 421 of this 6
-chapter and 50 percent of the monies collected by Board of Liquor and Lottery 7
-pursuant to section 424 of this chapter. 8
-(b)  The Department of Health shall submit a spending plan to the General 9
-Assembly annually on or before November 15.  The Department shall disburse 10
-monies from the Fund pursuant to 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter 3. 11
-(c)  Expenditures from the Fund may be used to support any program that 12
-provides:  13
-(1)  mental health support for primary and postsecondary schools, with 14
-priority given to the support for student assistance professionals; or 15
-(2)  treatment or supportive housing for individuals with alcohol use 16
-disorder. 17
-Sec. 5.  7 V.S.A. § 422 is amended to read: 18
-§ 422.  TAX ON SPIRITS AND FORTIFIED WINES 19
-(a)  A tax of five 10 percent is assessed on the gross revenue from the sale 20
-of spirits and fortified wines in the State of Vermont by the Board of Liquor 21
-BILL AS INTRODUCED H.376
-2025 Page 7 of 7
+Last Recorded Action: 2/26/2025 - Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
 
-VT LEG #379060 v.2
-and Lottery or the retail sale of spirits and fortified wines in Vermont by a 1
-manufacturer or rectifier of spirits or fortified wines, in accordance with the 2
-provisions of this title. 3
-* * * 4
-* * * Study; Manufacturer and Retailer Compliance * * * 5
-Sec. 6.  DIVISION OF LIQUOR CONTROL; STUDY AND REPORT;  6
-             MANUFACTURER, DISTRIBUTOR, AND RETAILER  7
-             COMPLIANCE 8
-On or before November 15, 2024, the Division of Liquor Control shall 9
-submit to the House Committee on Government Operations and Military 10
-Affairs and the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and 11
-General Affairs a written report concerning the legal compliance of alcoholic 12
-beverage manufacturers, distributors, and retailers with the requirements of 13
-Vermont’s consumer shipping laws.  The Division shall specifically study and 14
-report on the rate of compliance for any person offering the online sale of 15
-alcoholic beverages, the Division’s current and planned compliance monitoring 16
-programs, and recommended legislation or appropriations to support and 17
-improve compliance with Vermont’s consumer shipping laws. 18
-* * * Effective Date * * * 19
-Sec. 7.  EFFECTIVE DATE 20
-This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 21
+Committee Activity - Witnesses Who Testified
+
+Regular Session 2025-2026
+
+House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
+
+Tucker Anderson, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Counsel
+
+Rep. Kate Nugent, Sponsor