AN ACT CONCERNING GROCERY STORE BEER PERMITTEES.

SB 967 amends state law to allow more grocery stores to sell beer by redefining "grocery store" to include stores meeting four specific criteria: being an authorized WIC vendor, selling SNAP-eligible items, having at least 6,000 sq ft for groceries, and accepting beverage container redemptions. This directly affects larger grocery stores that currently cannot sell beer under existing rules but meet these new requirements. The key mechanism is updating the legal definition in statute to include these qualifying stores under beer permit regulations. As a result, eligible stores would gain the ability to sell beer without needing separate permits.