§ 61-4-523 — Collegiate sporting venues.

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the sale of beer and wine at collegiate sporting venues pursuant to Section 61-4-520 is prohibited unless the holder of the permit: (1) requires all sales personnel to complete mandatory alcohol server training approved by the department; (2) utilizes internal, random checks of sales locations during an event of sufficient frequency to reasonably determine that sales procedures and identification verification procedures comply with established protocol; (3) utilizes forensic digital identification systems, or other means acceptable to the department, to verify the authenticity of identification at the point of sale; (4) prohibits sales of beer and wine in student sections with designated concession areas; and (5) prohibits sales of beer and wine to customers presenting vertical identification cards. (B) The department shall consider these preventative measures and other factors described in subsection (C) when assessing administrative penalties in the event violations of this chapter occur and may reduce any administrative penalty when the department finds the permit holder acted in good faith to prevent a violation. (C) Notwithstanding Section 61-4-580(B), in administering the provisions of this section, the department shall develop and implement an alternate revenue and penalty structure for collegiate sporting venues which recognizes the unique characteristics of such venues including, but not limited to, the number of sales locations within the collegiate sporting venue, sales volume and number of patrons served per event held at such collegiate sporting venue, number of sales personnel necessary to staff sales locations within the collegiate sporting venue, and frequency of events held at such collegiate sporting venue during which sales of beer and wine occur. The department shall develop and implement the alternative revenue procedure and penalty structure for collegiate sporting venues not later than August 31, 2025. The department shall determine the seating capacity necessary for a collegiate sporting venue to be subject to the alternate revenue procedure and penalty structure.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 2025 Act No. 42 (H.3430), SECTION 5, eff May 12, 2025. Editor's Note 2025 Act No. 42, SECTION 11, provides as follows: "SECTION 11. This act takes effect January 1, 2026, and applies only to causes of action or claims arising or accruing after January 1, 2026, and applies to all policies issued after that date, other than Section 61-4-523 which takes effect upon approval by the Governor."