HB 975 VA

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Became Law

Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio; report. Reduces the current 45 percent food-to-beverage ratio for certain mixed beverage licensees. The bill requires that a mixed beverage restaurant, caterer's, or limited caterer's licensee meet or exceed the following: (i) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $48,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall not apply; (ii) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $25,000 but less than $48,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 30 percent; and (iii) for such licensees with monthly food sales averaging at least $4,000, but less than $25,000, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 45 percent, except that for any licensee with monthly food sales averaging less than $25,000 with a seating capacity of less than 30 seats and an occupancy permit for less than 60 people total, the food-to-beverage ratio shall meet or exceed 30 percent. The bill also requires that restaurants have at least as many seats at tables as at counters. The bill requires the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to collect data regarding the compliance of mixed beverage licensees with the provisions of the bill and the impact of the change to the food-to-beverage ratio on the gross amount of food consumed on a licensee's premises. The bill requires the Authority to report such data to the Chairs of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by November 1, 2027.

• Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103975D · lower
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on General Laws · lower
3. Jan 26, 2026 Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming · lower
4. Feb 1, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
5. Feb 3, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N) · lower
6. Feb 5, 2026 Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (18-Y 3-N) · lower
7. Feb 9, 2026 Read first time · lower
8. Feb 10, 2026 Passed by for the day · lower
9. Feb 11, 2026 Read second time · lower
10. Feb 11, 2026 committee amendment agreed to · lower
11. Feb 11, 2026 Engrossed by House as amended · lower
12. Feb 11, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) · lower
13. Feb 12, 2026 Read third time and passed House (87-Y 10-N 0-A) · lower
14. Feb 13, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) · lower
15. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
16. Feb 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services · upper
17. Feb 20, 2026 Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (13-Y 2-N) · upper
18. Feb 23, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
19. Feb 23, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
20. Feb 23, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
21. Feb 24, 2026 Read third time · upper
22. Feb 24, 2026 Passed Senate (36-Y 3-N 0-A) · upper
23. Feb 24, 2026 Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
24. Feb 24, 2026 Passed Senate (35-Y 4-N 0-A) · upper
25. Feb 26, 2026 Enrolled · lower
26. Feb 26, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB975ER) · lower
27. Feb 26, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) · lower
28. Feb 26, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
29. Feb 26, 2026 Signed by President · upper
30. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · lower
31. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
32. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 719 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Engrossed · PDF
• Engrossed · HTML
• General Laws Amendment · HTML
• General Laws Amendment · HTML
• ABC/Gaming Subcommittee Amendment · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML