This bill amends the Arkansas Code to redefine "beer" and adjust the allowable alcoholic content in beer and malt beverages. The new definition of "beer" will include malt beverages with an alcoholic content of up to ten percent (10%) by weight, as opposed to the previous limit of five percent (5%). The bill also introduces a new category for "malt beverages," which are defined as liquors brewed from fermented grain juices with an alcoholic content ranging from five percent (5%) to twenty-one percent (21%) by weight. Additionally, the bill specifies that beer with an alcoholic content exceeding ten percent (10%) is prohibited from being kept or sold in certain licensed premises.

The bill includes several amendments to existing laws, such as changing the purpose of the beer and light wine subchapter to legalize the manufacture and sale of beer with an alcoholic content of no more than ten percent (10%) by weight. It also updates various sections of the Arkansas Code to reflect these changes, including the definitions and regulations surrounding the sale and distribution of beer and malt beverages. Overall, the bill aims to modernize the legal framework governing alcoholic beverages in Arkansas, allowing for a broader range of products while maintaining regulatory oversight.

Statutes affected:
SB 564: 3-1-102(a), 3-5-201(a), 3-5-202(1), 3-5-214(a), 3-5-221(b), 3-5-221(d), 3-5-227(a), 3-5-1202(2), 3-5-1403(2), 3-5-1901(3), 3-7-104(6), 3-7-116(a), 3-8-401, 3-8-601(1)