Oklahoma House passes 4 bills easing alcohol laws
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Oklahoma's pending updated alcohol laws have been met with a lot of praise, with a few things slipping through the cracks.
Four bills, HB 1392, HB 2178, HB 2843, and SB 809, are working through the Oklahoma House and Senate and could change distribution laws, lower the age restriction for sealed alcohol, and clarify what wineries and small brewers are allowed to sell.
House Bill 1392, for example, would bring back "buckets of beer" for people to buy from Alcoholic Beverage Law Enforcement Commission licensees.
"That's something that went away with modernization. They let you serve only two drinks per person at a maximum at any licensed facility. There's a lot of customers who complained about not getting their buckets of beer on the table, some retailers still wanted to see that. That came from the public wanting to see that," said Lisette Barnes, president of the Oklahoma Beer Alliance.
The OBA said they still want people to drink responsibly, but they also want to bring back the bucket of beer option people used to buy, especially in busy areas where the wait staff couldn't get around as quickly.
With the legislature, the bills still need approval from Senate, but House representatives anticipate these bills will pass with ease.
As the 2023 legislative session continues, the OBA said they will continue to work hard to advocate for better alcohol laws in the state for Oklahomans and businesses.