🟡Relating to the powers of certain nonresident seller’s permit holders who also hold a winery permit.

🟡 SB 1378: Narrow winery ownership carveout with no sales to affiliate

What it says it does:
Creates a very limited exception in alcohol law so a nonresident seller can keep an ownership link to a specific older Texas winery, while still banning sales from that seller to the owned or affiliated winery.

What it actually changes:
Texas’s cross tier ownership ban is relaxed for one tightly defined case using date, population, and county criteria. The sales firewall stays in place. Effective date: September 1, 2025.

Who is pushing for it:
Support in the files includes large distributor and retail trade groups, national wine interests, and a manufacturers group. A TABC attorney appeared on the bill. Opposition in the files includes Texas wine and grape voices and individuals.

Who benefits:
The identified winery and its parent keep operating in Texas. Distributors and retailers keep product flowing through existing channels. Local jobs tied to that operation are preserved.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Small Texas producers that do not meet the criteria. Independent growers and brands facing a competitor backed by a larger parent. Public transparency is unchanged because the bill adds no new reporting.

Why this matters long term:
It moves policy from general rules to bespoke relief. That sets a precedent. Future ownership conflicts can seek copycat carveouts instead of a fair, statewide standard.

What to watch next:
Whether similar exceptions appear next session. How TABC enforces the no sales guardrail. No new public disclosure is created by this bill, so verification remains limited. Specific compliance reports are Not in files.

Bottom line:
This is a surgical fix that preserves one business arrangement without opening direct cross tier sales. The real risk is the precedent. If Texas will bend rules to save jobs, the fix should eventually be open, criteria based, and transparent for anyone in the same position.

Questions to ask lawmakers:

1. Why choose a one off exception instead of a transparent, criteria based process any similar Texas winery could apply for?
2. How will the state verify the no sales guardrail in practice without new public reporting?
3. Would you support a sunset and a short review so Texans can see if this exception works as intended?

#SB1378 #TexasPolicy #WatchTheRules #TexasAlcohol #ThreeTier #SmallBusiness