Title 3Alcoholic Beverages

Title 3Alcoholic Beverages

Chapter 1General Provisions

R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-1-1

§ 3-1-1. Definitions.

As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) “Alcohol inhalation” means a method of administering ethanol or alcoholic beverages directly into the respiratory system, with the aid of a vaporizing or nebulizing device.

(2) “Alcohol-without-liquid device” means a device, machine, apparatus, or appliance that is designed or marketed for the purpose of inhaling alcohol vapor or otherwise introducing alcohol in any form into the human body including, but not limited to, introducing a heating element to convert the alcohol to a vapor or by mixing alcohol with pure or diluted oxygen, or another gas, to produce an alcoholic vapor that an individual can inhale or snort. An alcohol-without-liquid device does not include an inhaler, nebulizer, atomizer, or other device that is designed and intended by the manufacturer to dispense a prescribed or over-the-counter medication.

(3) “Beverage” means any liquid that either by itself or by mixture with any other liquid or liquids, is, or may become, fit for human consumption as a drink and that contains five-tenths of one per cent (.5%) or more of alcohol by weight.

(4) “Club” means a corporation subject to the provisions of chapter 6 of title 7, owning, hiring, or leasing a building or space in a building of such extent and character as may be suitable and adequate for the reasonable and comfortable accommodation of its members, and whose affairs and management are conducted by a board of directors, executive committee, or other similar body chosen by the members at a meeting held for that purpose, none of whose members, officers, agents, or employees are paid directly, or indirectly, any compensation by way of profit from the distribution or sale of beverages to the members of the club or to its guests beyond the amount of any reasonable salary or wages as may be fixed and voted each year by the directors or other governing body.

(5) “Department” means the department of business regulation.

(6) “Director” means the director of the department of business regulation.

(7) “Division of taxation” means the division of taxation of the department of administration.

(8) “Farmer-winery” means any plant or premise where wine is produced, rectified, blended, or fortified from fruits, flowers, herbs, or vegetables.

(9) “Import” means at one time, or in one transaction, to take, or cause to be taken, into this state from outside the state any malt beverage in excess of eight (8) gallons or any vinous beverage or any beverage consisting in whole, or in part, of alcohol produced by distillation in excess of three (3) gallons.

(10) “Intoxicating beverage” means a beverage that contains more than three and two-tenths percent (3.2%) of alcohol by weight.

(11) “Malt beverage” means any beverage that is usually produced at breweries, as distinguished from distilleries.

(12) “Nonintoxicating beverage” means a beverage that contains not more than three and two-tenths percent (3.2%) of alcohol by weight.

(13) “Powdered alcohol” means alcohol prepared for sale or other distribution in a dry powder or crystalline, or encapsulated in dry or crystalline form, for direct consumption or reconstitution.

(14) “Tavern” means any house where the principal business is the furnishing of food and sleeping accommodations.

(15) “Victualing house” means any shop or place where a substantial part of the business is the furnishing of food for consumption at the place where it is furnished.

(16) “Winegrower” means any person licensed to operate a farmer’s winery under § 3-6-1.1.

(17) “Wines” means all fermented alcoholic beverages made from fruits, flowers, herbs, or vegetables and containing not more than twenty-four percent (24%) of alcohol by volume at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), except cider obtained by the alcohol fermentation of the juice of apples and containing not less than five tenths of one percent (.05%) or containing not more than six percent (6%) of alcohol by weight at sixty degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees F), including, but not limited to, flavored, sparkling, or carbonated cider.

History of Section.P.L. 1933, ch. 2013, § 1; P.L. 1934, ch. 2088, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 162, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1939, ch. 660, § 120; G.L. 1956, § 3-1-1; P.L. 1972, ch. 119, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 223, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 100, art. 36, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 441, § 6; P.L. 1998, ch. 456, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 11, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 12, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 437, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 438, § 1.