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HB 2859

LIQUOR-DELIVERY TO RETAILER

104th Regular Session Introduced by Bob Rita

Raises the biweekly distributor delivery threshold to $200 from $50, risking loss of guaranteed deliveries for many small rural retailers.

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2859

HB 2859 — Liquor-delivery to retailer (Illinois) — Summary

Purpose

HB 2859 amends Section 6-9.1 of the Illinois Liquor Control Act (235 ILCS 5/6-9.1) to change delivery obligations of wine and spirit distributors to retail licensees. The bill revises the minimum purchase threshold a retailer must agree to in order to receive distributor deliveries at least once every two weeks and removes a prior lower-threshold exception for smaller counties.

Key provisions

  • Distributor delivery obligation

    • A distributor of wine or spirits must deliver to any retailer within its geographic territory at least once every two weeks if the retailer agrees to purchase at least $200 of wine or spirits from that distributor every two weeks.
    • The bill removes prior law language that allowed a lower $50 minimum purchase threshold for retailers located in counties with fewer than 3,000,000 residents (and not adjacent to a county with 3,000,000+ residents).
    • The statutory text is adjusted to reflect that the distributor’s delivery obligation is tied to the distributor having been granted the right to sell the trademark/brand/name by a wholesaler within a geographic area.

  • Price-index adjustment

    • The existing mechanism for adjusting the dollar thresholds by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) every two years (on January 1 of even-numbered years) remains in the statute; the amounts in subsection (a) are to be indexed up or down by the percentage change in the CPI for the prior two years.

  • Conforming / other provisions

    • Conforming language changes in Section 6-9.1 are made to align with the revised threshold.
    • The bill text retains unrelated provisions about brewer self-distribution/deliveries (existing subsection (c)), including exclusions for common carriers (e.g., FedEx, UPS).

Who is affected

  • Retailers (bars, restaurants, liquor stores): Retailers that previously qualified for dealer deliveries under the $50 threshold in small/rural counties would now generally need to meet the $200 biweekly purchase level to require distributor deliveries from a brand’s distributor.
  • Distributors and wholesalers: Alters when distributors are required to make routine deliveries to retailers based on the higher minimum purchase requirement.
  • Consumers in smaller or rural counties: May be affected indirectly if some retailers can no longer obtain distributor deliveries as easily.
  • Brewers holding self-distribution privileges: Their delivery rules remain addressed in the statute (no substantive change from this bill).

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Rural and small retailers that relied on the $50 threshold could lose guaranteed distributor deliveries unless they increase purchase volume to $200 every two weeks or make alternative arrangements.
  • Could increase logistical or cost burdens on small retailers (more reliance on wholesalers, wholesalers’ delivery policies, or third‑party freight).
  • May shift bargaining leverage toward distributors/wholesalers and larger retailers that meet the $200 threshold.
  • Indexing by CPI means the $200 threshold will adjust over time (up or down) every two years.
  • The bill is largely a regulatory change within the three-tier liquor distribution framework; business and consumer access impacts will depend on local market practices.

Procedural status / timeline (selected actions)

  • Filed / Introduced: early February 2025 (introduced by Rep. Robert "Bob" Rita).
  • First reading and initial referrals: Feb 6, 2025 — referred to Rules Committee.
  • House readings: Feb 12–13, 2025 (first and second readings noted).
  • Referred / assigned to committees: Trade, Workforce & Economic Development; later assigned to Executive Committee.
  • March 19, 2025: Read first time in another chamber / referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development.
  • March 21, 2025: Rule 19(a) — Re-referred to Rules Committee (current status as provided).

Note: The materials provided included unrelated text from another state's bill concerning sealing criminal records (Arizona). The summary above addresses the Illinois Liquor Control Act amendment labeled HB 2859 (liquor-delivery to retailer).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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