OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
S.B. 170 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for S.B. 170’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Sens. DeMora and Lang
Effective Date:
Jeff Grim, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
 Authorizes a retail liquor permit holder or an agency store to sell beer or intoxicating
liquor on Sunday during the same hours that the permit holder or contract holder may
sell those products on Monday through Saturday without issuance of a D-6 liquor
permit, which the bill eliminates.
 Eliminates local option elections concerning Sunday sales of beer or intoxicating liquor.
 For alcohol sales questions on a local ballot, requires 50 electors to sign the election
petition, rather than 35% of the people who voted in the last gubernatorial election in
the relevant precinct.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Sunday sales of alcohol: background
Generally, a retail liquor permit holder (A-1-A, A-2, A-2f, A-3a, A-5, E, or class C, D, or F
liquor permit, see “Appendix,” below) only may sell beer and intoxicating liquor for on- or
off-premises consumption on Sunday if:
1. The permit holder is authorized to do so by a local option election; and
2. For sales of intoxicating liquor, the permit holder is issued a D-6 liquor permit.
Intoxicating liquor includes wine, mixed beverages, and spirituous liquor.
The D-6 permit is not required for the sale of beer on Sunday.
Elimination of statutory requirements
The bill eliminates statutory requirements for Sunday sales of beer and intoxicating
liquor by doing both of the following:
1. Authorizing a retail liquor permit holder or an agency store to sell beer or intoxicating
liquor on Sunday during the same hours that the permit holder or contract holder may
December 1, 2023
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
sell those products on Monday through Saturday without issuance of a D-6 liquor
permit, which the bill eliminates; and
2. Eliminating required local option elections authorizing Sunday sales of beer, wine, mixed
beverages, or spirituous liquor.1
Local option elections
Current law establishes a process for local option elections to authorize the sale of
alcohol in election precincts, parts of precincts, or particular locations. That process requires a
petition to place the authorization questions on the ballot. Current law requires 35% of the
people who voted in the last gubernatorial election in an election precinct to sign the petition.
The bill instead requires 50 electors to sign a petition.2
APPENDIX
Type of liquor permit To whom a permit is issued
A-1-A Brewery, winery, farm winery, or micro-
distillery that operates a restaurant on or
near the brewery, winery, or distillery
A-2 Winery
A-2f Farm winery
A-3a Micro-distillery
A-5 Alcoholic ice cream manufacturer
E Railroad car or airline for on-premises
consumption on car or aircraft
Class C Generally convenience or grocery stores for
off-premises consumption
Class D Generally bars and restaurant/bars for the
sale of beer or intoxicating liquor for on-
premises consumption
1R.C. 4303.182 (repealed and reenacted); makes conforming changes to R.C. 4301.22, 4301.24, 4301.32,
4301.322, 4301.33, 4301.332, 4301.333, 4301.351 (repealed), 4301.353, 4301.354 (repealed), 4301.355,
4301.361 (repealed), 4301.362, 4301.364 (repealed), 4301.365, 4301.366, 4301.37, 4301.39, 4301.403,
4301.404, 4301.99, 4303.184, 4303.19, 4303.202, 4303.203, 4303.204, 4303.205, and 4303.99.
2 R.C. 4301.33, 4301.332, and 4301.333.
P a g e |2 S.B. 170
As Introduced
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
Type of liquor permit To whom a permit is issued
Class F Organizations that operate festivals that
have a short duration to sell beer or
intoxicating liquor
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 10-11-23
ANSB0170IN-135/ts
P a g e |3 S.B. 170
As Introduced