The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 340A.22, subdivision 2, to modify the regulations surrounding cocktail room licenses for microdistilleries and distilled spirits manufacturers. It allows municipalities to issue these licenses, which permit the on-sale of distilled liquor produced by the distiller for consumption on the premises or adjacent to the distillery. The bill also clarifies that cocktail rooms may operate on Sundays if authorized by the municipality and that holders of these licenses can also operate a restaurant at the distillery. Additionally, it establishes that a distiller can only hold one cocktail room license and mandates that municipalities inform the commissioner of various licensing details within ten days of issuance.

A significant change introduced in this bill is the provision that prohibits a single entity from holding both a cocktail room and taproom license, and it specifies that these two types of licenses cannot be colocated unless the entity held both licenses prior to August 20, 2014. This aims to streamline the licensing process and ensure compliance with existing regulations while allowing for some exceptions for entities that were already operating under both licenses before the specified date.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 340A.22