# Virginia HB975: Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio, report.

Virginia HB975, Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio, report., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0719)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB975-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB975
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Alcoholic beverage control; food-to-beverage ratio, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0719)
- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (271 yes, 25 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

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.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Lower food sales requirements for restaurants: benefit, low. Virginia mixed-beverage licensees face food-to-beverage ratios based on average monthly food sales. No ratio applies at $48,000 or more; the minimum is 30% from $25,000 to under $48,000. From $4,000 to under $25,000, the minimum is 45%. Below $25,000, a 30% minimum applies to venues with fewer than…
- Port restaurants face location and sales requirements: cost, low. A mixed-beverage port restaurant license is limited to businesses mainly selling meals on federally owned port property. The property must serve as a port for entering or leaving the United States. After licensing, qualifying food and nonalcoholic drink receipts must equal at least 45% of gross rec…
- Limited restaurant licenses allow capped alcohol sales: mixed, low. Restaurants with a limited mixed-beverage license can sell dessert wines and up to six kinds of liqueur. The liqueurs must be mixed with coffee or another nonalcoholic drink. All alcohol sales combined cannot exceed 10% of the restaurant's total annual gross sales of food and alcohol.
- Restaurant food service rules allow outside preparation: mixed, low. Mixed-beverage licensees must keep food, including meals, available for customers to eat on site until at least 30 minutes before closing. This applies in every licensed area where spirits are sold or served. Mixed-beverage casino licensees are exempt. Food no longer has to be cooked or prepared on…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 36 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 35 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services | pass | 13 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 87 | 10 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) | pass | 18 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 6 | 3 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0719) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 719 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House)
- 2026-02-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) (House)
- 2026-02-26: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB975ER) (House)
- 2026-02-26: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-24: Passed Senate (35-Y 4-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Passed Senate (36-Y 3-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (13-Y 2-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (87-Y 10-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB975) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Passed by for the day (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (18-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-02-01: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-26: Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103975D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222291.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222290.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179684.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179683.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133178.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133177.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131686.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115407.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-01: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105411.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086742.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086741.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222291.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222290.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179684.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179683.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133178.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133177.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1131686.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115407.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105411.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086742.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086741.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB975-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).