# Arkansas SB564: TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE MALT BEVERAGES.

Arkansas SB564, TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE MALT BEVERAGES., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Scott Flippo (Republican), Matt Brown (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-14 (Notification that SB564 is now Act 596) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB564-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB564
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "BEER" TO CHANGE THE ALLOWABLE ALCOHOLIC CONTENT AND TO INCLUDE MALT BEVERAGES.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-03-26
- Last action: 2025-04-14, Notification that SB564 is now Act 596
- Sponsors: Scott Flippo (Republican), Matt Brown (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (80 yes, 37 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Arkansas sellers can offer stronger beer: benefit, low. Arkansas raises the beer alcohol limit from 5% to 10% by weight, including malt beverages within that ceiling. A separate definition covers malt beverages brewed from fermented grain with 5% to 21% alcohol by weight. Products above 10% do not qualify as beer under these rules. The 10% beer limit ap…
- Arkansas sellers pay tax on stronger beer: cost, low. Arkansas's beer tax now covers beer with up to 10% alcohol by weight, including beer above the old 5% limit. Sellers pay $7.50 per 32-gallon barrel, with smaller or larger amounts taxed in proportion. The tax rate and the inclusion of hard cider stay unchanged. Sellers may pass some or all of the c…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scott Flippo (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Matt Brown (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-07 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 9:29:10 PM | pass | 56 | 29 | 7 |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 5:06:52 PM | pass | 24 | 8 | 1 |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-04-14: Notification that SB564 is now Act 596 (Senate)
- 2025-04-09: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate)
- 2025-04-09: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-03: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-04-02: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on HOUSE RULES (House)
- 2025-04-02: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-04-02: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB564 - Introduced, 2025-03-26: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB564.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=596.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related bills

- HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted)
- HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed)
- HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed)
- SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed)
- HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed)
- HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed)

## Sources
- [SB564 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB564.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=596.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related
- [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025)
- [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025)
- [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025)
- [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025)
- [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025)
- [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB564-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).