Bill
LB 33
Nebraska LB 33 removes nonalcoholic beer (under 0.5% ABV) from regulation under the Liquor Control Act; may extend to other nonalcoholic drinks if AM 23 passes.
LB 33 — Summary
Overview
- Bill Number: LB 33
- Title: Remove nonalcoholic beer from regulation under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act
- Introduced: January 9, 2025
- Speaker/Introducer: Senator Megan Hunt
- Committee: General Affairs
- Hearing: February 3, 2025
- Status: Notice of hearing scheduled
Purpose and intent
- Primary aim: Remove nonalcoholic beer (beer containing less than 0.5% alcohol by volume) from regulatory coverage under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act.
- Intent expansion (as noted in the introducer’s statement): The associated amendment AM 23 would extend the removal from regulation to other nonalcoholic beverages that contain less than 0.5% alcohol, such as nonalcoholic wines and seltzers, if such amendments are adopted.
Key provisions and changes
- Redefinition of alcoholic liquor and beer
- Adds explicit language to define alcoholic liquor as including beer, wine, spirits, and related beverages capable of being consumed as a beverage, plus confections or candy with more than 0.5% alcohol.
- Specifically excludes nonalcoholic beer from the scope of “beer” and from regulation under the Act.
- Beer definition is broadened to include traditional forms (beer, ale, stout, lager, porter, near beer, flavored malt beverages, hard cider) but explicitly states that nonalcoholic beer is not beer for the purposes of the Act.
- Nonalcoholic beer removal
- Section amendments remove nonalcoholic beer from being regulated under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act.
- Repeals
- Repeals the original sections 53-103.02, 53-103.03, and 53-103.24, and outright repeals section 53-160.02, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska.
- Regulatory scope after the bill
- The Act would continue to regulate products that are alcoholic (i.e., with at least 0.5% alcohol by volume) per existing or amended definitions.
- Nonalcoholic beverages with less than 0.5% alcohol (as contemplated by AM 23) would be removed from regulatory control if those amendments are adopted.
Who is affected
- Industries and actors currently regulated for nonalcoholic beer under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act (including producers, distributors, retailers): regulatory burden would be reduced or eliminated for nonalcoholic beer.
- Nonalcoholic beer producers and sellers: potential changes in licensing, labeling, compliance, and enforcement requirements.
- Other nonalcoholic beverages (as contemplated by AM 23): if enacted, could also be removed from regulation, affecting nonalcoholic wines, seltzers, and similar products.
Procedural and timeline notes
- Introduced: January 9, 2025
- Committee: General Affairs
- Hearing date: February 3, 2025
- Next steps: If advanced, the bill would proceed through standard Nebraska legislative process, potentially with amendments (including AM 23) to extend the regulatory removal to other nonalcoholic beverages.
Net impact
- Regulatory relief for the nonalcoholic beer segment; potential further relief for additional nonalcoholic beverages depending on amendments.
- Broad changes to the scope of regulation under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act, particularly regarding what products are subjected to licensing, packaging, and sale controls.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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