TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE MALT BEVERAGES.

This Arkansas bill (SB 564, now Act 596) changes the legal definition of "beer" to allow up to 10% alcohol by weight (previously capped at 5%) and explicitly includes malt beverages within this definition. It updates all relevant sections of Arkansas law to reflect this higher alcohol limit for beer and malt beverages, while maintaining separate 5% limits for "light wine." The bill directly affects brewers producing higher-alcohol malt beverages, retailers selling them, and regulators enforcing alcohol content rules. These changes streamline regulations for craft brewers and similar products without altering tax rates or local sales restrictions.