SB 698 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Alcoholic beverage control; designated outdoor refreshment areas.

Summary
Alcoholic beverage control; designated outdoor refreshment areas. Allows a permitted brewery or winery to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption in an area designated for the designated outdoor refreshment area during an event held by the designated outdoor refreshment area licensee. The bill also removes the requirement that alcoholic beverages consumed at such event be contained in paper, plastic, or similar disposable containers that clearly display the name or logo of the retail on-premises licensee from which the alcoholic beverage was purchased. The bill allows designated outdoor refreshment area licensees that are nonprofit organizations to sell tickets or charge for wristbands for an event to cover expenses of the event and also only requires such licensee to provide adequate security for an event if deemed necessary by the locality. The bill also provides that a designated outdoor refreshment area licensee that is a nonprofit organization shall be permitted to receive in-kind and financial sponsorships and donations from a manufacturer and may collect participation fees from breweries, wineries, and retail licensees for events held under a designated outdoor refreshment area license. Lastly, the bill allows, with the concurrence of the designated outdoor refreshment area licensee, a nonprofit organization that is not the designated outdoor refreshment licensee, or a brewery, winery, or distillery, to obtain a banquet special event license or a mixed beverage special event license for a special event to be held within the boundaries of the designated outdoor refreshment area as long as there is no event being held by the designated outdoor refreshment area licensee at the same time as such special event.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Jan 30, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill text has been converted from a standard 'Introduced' version to a 'Substitute' version, indicating it has been amended by the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services. While the substantive legal language regarding alcohol licenses appears identical in the provided text, the document now includes committee markup, a new offer date (January 30, 2026), and a 'Draft' status label, signaling that the bill is in a revised legislative stage pending further review.
Scope change
The scope of the bill's content remains unchanged, but the procedural status has shifted from 'Introduced' to 'Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute' following committee consideration.
TIMELINE

The bill's offer date was updated from January 14, 2026, to January 30, 2026, reflecting the time taken for committee review.

TECHNICAL

The header was changed to indicate this is an 'Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute' proposed by the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, rather than the original 'Introduced' version.

Page numbers and draft status labels were added to the document header, indicating it is a working draft version of the bill.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Jan 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Tara Durant
Tara Durant
RRepublican
VA
27