Currently, craft distilleries in North Carolina face much harsher regulations than the state’s craft breweries. The North Carolina General Assembly is looking to modernize the state’s alcohol laws.
One bill looking to change the regulations is HB 971, titled Modern Licensure Model for Alcohol Control, which is being read this week. The bill hopes to privatize both retail liquor sales and wholesale distributions, eliminate local Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) boards and stores, and simplify the process by which retailers receive permits to sell alcohol.
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