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HB 1196 North Carolina House · 2025-2026 Session

Require Free Water in Bars.

This bill requires bars and restaurants in North Carolina to provide free drinking water to any customer who asks for it. The rule applies only during hours when alcohol is legally sold and mandates that the water be safe and served in containers holding at least six fluid ounces. To inform the public, the state will distribute posters to these businesses that must be displayed prominently where customers can see them.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Apr 30, 2026 Last action May 5, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Filed → Edition 1 · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill underwent a procedural update from its initial filing status to its first official edition, primarily involving the correction of the bill number from a draft identifier to the final number HB 1196. The sponsorship section was modified to direct users to the official website for a complete list of sponsors rather than listing specific individuals, while the referral status was updated to include specific House committees and a new date. No substantive policy changes regarding the requirement for free water in bars, funding, or enforcement mechanisms were identified in this text.
TECHNICAL

The bill number was updated from a draft identifier (DRH40642-MLa-150A) to the final legislative number (HB 1196) and the version was marked as Edition 1.

The sponsorship section was changed to reference the North Carolina General Assembly website for a full list of sponsors instead of listing Representative Greenfield directly.

Specific House committees (Appropriations, Rules, Calendar, and Operations) were added to the referral list.

TIMELINE

A specific referral date of May 5, 2026, was added to the document header.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
3
Key actions
0
Committee
1
May 5, 2026
Committee
Ref to the Com on Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
lower
Apr 30, 2026
Introduced
Filed
lower
0 primary · 7 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.