republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2026/hb-385.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores, tastings."
description: "Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores; tastings. Allows an authorized employee of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to conduct an organized tasting event at a government store. The bill also clarifies that any products used in connection with distilled spirits as approved by the Board may be sold at government stores. The bill also removes the option to obtain a permit to purchase certain grain spirits or alcohol with a proof greater than 151 from government stores for commercial or culinary use."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 385"
citation: "Virginia HB 385 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker"]
version_count: 6
action_count: 30
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2026-01-12"
last_action: "2026-04-06"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/2758357a-1295-482c-bdd5-8a4711b8814d"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB385"
source_hash: "a7b63863f3c940f9d63aba11052fb981f8f8f7faee1a07633ebca25a27789dc1"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia HB 385 (2026) — Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores, tastings.

Alcoholic beverage control; operation of government stores; tastings. Allows an authorized employee of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to conduct an organized tasting event at a government store. The bill also clarifies that any products used in connection with distilled spirits as approved by the Board may be sold at government stores. The bill also removes the option to obtain a permit to purchase certain grain spirits or alcohol with a proof greater than 151 from government stores for commercial or culinary use.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084207.PDF)
2. **ABC/Gaming Subcommittee Amendment** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092074.HTML)
3. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216507.PDF)
4. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095626.PDF)
5. **General Laws Amendment** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094552.HTML)
6. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179649.PDF)

## Votes

- H VOTE: — **91–5** (pass) · lower
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) — **37–0** (pass) · upper
- Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) — **20–1** (pass) · lower
- Passage R — **38–1** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services — **15–0** (pass) · upper
- Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) — **8–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-12** Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100401D `filing, introduction`
- **2026-01-12** Referred to Committee on General Laws `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-19** Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-20** House subcommittee offered
- **2026-01-20** Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)
- **2026-01-22** Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (20-Y 1-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-01-26** Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (1/26/2026 11:07 am)
- **2026-01-26** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-01-27** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-01-27** committee amendments agreed to `amendment-passage`
- **2026-01-27** Engrossed by House as amended
- **2026-01-28** Read third time and passed House (91-Y 5-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-01-29** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- **2026-01-29** Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-05** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB385)
- **2026-02-20** Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-23** Rules suspended
- **2026-02-23** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-02-23** Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- **2026-02-24** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-02-24** Passed Senate (38-Y 1-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-02-26** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-02-26** Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB385ER) `passage`
- **2026-02-26** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB385)
- **2026-02-26** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-02-26** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-03-10** Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 `enrolled, executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-10** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-06** Approved by Governor-Chapter 128 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-06** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0128)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/2758357a-1295-482c-bdd5-8a4711b8814d`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).