Revision: March 27, 2026, 12:53 p.m.
HB 1765-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE
11Mar2026... 0473h
2026 SESSION
26-2508
08/06
HOUSE BILL 1765-FN
SPONSORS: Rep. Hunt, Ches. 14
COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This bill enables wine and beverage manufacturers to offer tastings of and to sell products of certain New Hampshire wine and beverage manufacturers.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
11Mar2026... 0473h 26-2508
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Liquor Licenses and Fees; Wine Manufacturer License. Amend RSA 178:8 by inserting after paragraph XII the following new paragraph:
XIII. For an additional annual fee of $120, any wine manufacturer licensee with sales of under 1,000 cases per licensing year may purchase products from a beverage manufacturer licensed under RSA 178:12, or another wine manufacturer licensed under this section, for the purpose of sampling or selling its products at the licensee's premises. Wine manufacturer licensees operating pursuant to this paragraph shall be subject to the following limitations:
(a) On-premises samples may be sold or given away.
(b) Sample sizes shall be limited to the provisions of RSA 178:12, II-a for beverages, and paragraph III of this section for wine.
(c) Off-premises retail sales made at the beverage manufacturer’s facility or another wine manufacturer’s facility shall be limited to products in their unopened original containers and to customers and persons of legal drinking age.
(d) All sales and sampling activities must occur during the licensee's normal business hours.
2 Liquor Licenses and Fees; Beverage Manufacturer License. RSA 178:12, XIV is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
XIV. For an additional annual fee of $120, any beverage manufacturer licensee with production of under 2,500 barrels per licensing year may purchase products from any wine manufacturer licensed under RSA 178:8, or from any beverage manufacturer licensed under RSA 178:12, regardless of such manufacturer's production volume for the purpose of sampling or selling such products at the licensee's premises. Beverage manufacturer licensees operating under this paragraph shall be subject to the following limitations:
(a) On-premises samples may be sold or given away.
(b) Sample sizes shall be limited to the provisions of paragraph II-a of this section for beverages, and RSA 178:8, III for wine.
(c) Off-premises retail sales made at the wine manufacturer’s facility or another beverage manufacturer’s facility shall be limited to products in their unopened original containers and to customers and persons of legal drinking age.
(d) All sales and sampling activities must occur during the licensee's normal business hours.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
26-2508
3/27/26
HB 1765-FN- FISCAL NOTE
(AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (AMENDMENT # 2026-0473h)
FISCAL IMPACT:
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Estimated State Impact | ||||||
| FY 2026 | FY 2027 | FY 2028 | FY 2029 | ||
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | Indeterminable Increase $10,000 to $100,000 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | Liquor Fund/General Fund - Liquor revenue is credited to the liquor fund, with net revenues after expenditures being credited to the state general fund. | |||||
Expenditures* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
Appropriations* | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
*Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill | ||||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill allows certain small wine manufacturers and beverage manufacturers to purchase products from other licensed manufacturers for the purpose of sampling and retail sales, subject to specified limitations, and establishes an additional annual license fee of $120 for participating manufacturers.
The Liquor Commission states this bill allows qualifying wine manufacturers producing under 1,000 cases per year and beverage manufacturers producing under 2,500 barrels per year to purchase products from other licensed manufacturers for sampling and retail sales at their premises, for an additional annual fee of $120. The Commission estimates this fee would result in an increase in state revenue of $10,000 to $100,000 annually beginning in FY 2027 and forward.
The Commission further states all beverages manufactured in New Hampshire are subject to a tax of $0.30 per gallon. To the extent the bill results in increased sales, additional revenue from this tax may occur; however, any such increase is indeterminable.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Liquor Commission