The Georgia Alcohol Dealers Association is a statewide trade association founded in 1973 to protect the integrity of the independently owned package liquor store in Georgia. GADA staff works closely with the Georgia General Assembly during the legislative session at the beginning of each calendar year and continue to work with individual legislators throughout the rest of the year at political fundraisers and events.
2022 Legislative Session Recap
In 2022 we closed another LEGISLATIVE SESSION in the Georgia General Assembly – not only for GADA’s Members, but for every independent package liquor store owner in Georgia.
In Georgia (and most other States), it is a tremendous victory for specific, small, independent business owners to go through the annual legislative process and remain unscathed; this is especially true when it involves package LIQUOR stores. This was no easy task or coincidence. It takes a lot of skill, hard work, & the dedication on the part of the GADA staff…who are supported by hundreds of “liquor store members” around Georgia. Additionally, this organization enjoys leadership through a strong Board of Directors, and in our case, an exceptional “Executive Committee,” all committed to the continued success of Your Business Future. Primarily, a GADA top priority is to maintain a level playing field on which you compete against the big box grocery chain stores. Their objective is to strike down the two store limitation law, so they can put liquor in a section of every location they own. Our job is to stop them and protect the package liquor stores of Georgia!
Georgia’s Independent Liquor stores have survived another session amid attacks from many different angles, we still have our work cut out for us but the biggest concern, the repeal of the two store limitation law did not pass.
The 2021-2022 Session of the Georgia General Assembly will came to an end on Wednesday March 31st. This session extremely challenging for GADA and its members. It’s a classic tale of it could have been worse but it definitely could have been better!
Stony McGill and our team of lobbyists were be able to hold off the repeal of the two store limitation law, but not without a hard fight. It’s apparent that there will be many liquor law changes coming to Georgia very soon. The most impactful was the passage of Senate Bill 145 introduced by Senator Matt Brass. SB145 which changed the long standing concept of a city or county being required to get a petition signed by 35% of the registered voters to put a package liquor referendum on the ballot. When SB145 is signed into law, a mayor, a city council or a county commissioner will now have the authority to put a liquor by the package referendum on an election ballot. We anticipate 40 to 50 cities and numerous counties will add package liquor stores as soon as the next election. This legislation has been pushed for many years by the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). Don’t forget that your tax dollars are being spent to lobby against your best interest at the State Capitol!! The fight isn’t completely over but the cards are stacked against us as The GMA and OCCG have made this a top priority for this legislative session.
Another troubling piece of legislation also offered by Senator Matt Brass is Senate Bill 236 which allows restaurants to sell 2 mixed distilled spirits cocktails to go per entrée. While this is well-crafted legislation and does not blur the lines between on and off premise sales, it does open the door for what changes the Georgia Restaurant Association, Diagio, DISCUS & OTHERS will want in the future.
One last bill that will have an impact on the retail liquor business in Georgia is House Bill 392 which deals with “local control” and how distance is measured from school grounds and gives the local governing authority to pass ordinances allowing package liquor, beer and wine to be sold as close to school grounds as the local governing authority wants. This legislation is a prime example of a state legislature that refuses to govern but will pass the buck when it comes to making decisions about alcohol and how it is sold in Georgia.
The writing is on the wall, you must engage with YOUR trade association, GADA and with YOUR state legislators! There is no time to morn these losses. If we do not unite, with our voices and our checkbooks we are looking at the end of the retail liquor business, as we know it. A few of us can’t stop liquor in grocery stores and liquor delivered straight from the distilleries; it’s going to take the majority of storeowners to make an impact. ACT NOW! Join our PAC! Reach out to other retailers and make sure that they too are members and know our benefits, if not have them reach out to us today! We’ve warned that sitting on the sidelines wont work forever and the time is now!