[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6357646,"mediaKeyId","2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f","parentId",2213842,"title","Senate committee advances temporary reduction in mixed-beverage food-to-alcohol ratio after hours of testimony","audioSeconds",2359,"startMs",828000,"endMs",3187000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f&start=828&end=3187","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f/thumbnail_828000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6357646/Virginia/Senate-committee-advances-temporary-reduction-in-mixed-beverage-food-to-alcohol-ratio-after-hours-of-testimony","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357646-bc399290ef1c09afd5331fd60e1943db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135756&Signature=OgbYERBKwYiBPpepOIjWrvAP~-Pi0zJcApRmxeg8odpJy8wNqX2zdpLjTHruW~1ZShaQjZ3Fmk7JPr3cZ3L-NtVPIZHIUMY9Tw97Kjt2om49Y6zQiBYHh7UNqp5KMxwYVwvMjJQI5-mc4063QigmwJnXLEnoSect9jZZ~CdzLbsv~yijHxMOw0EV9tZp5eGbABBQ-ZNdcsxtLvvlrh4KZiszGFV-NqPchvLllZmYZJkcrsaaLe5nxqFA3k1Uti7WAHptx9E1dloe9dQjR3Wg03KwsHl~aSFe93gxzJNLB5gtiJJUw0VN5S4FopjhhKr73RwlYF64jPVVbZFqB7ju8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-31T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 1163, which would lower Virginia’s mixed-beverage food-to-alcohol ratio to 30% for a two-year pilot and require a post‑pilot report to the General Assembly, was advanced by the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee on a 14-1 vote.

The bill’s patron, Senator McDougall, told the committee the change responds to a shift in consumers toward higher-priced distilled‑spirit cocktails and to pricing changes since the ratio was last set. “We are trying to deal with the fact that pricing has changed, not only in the industry, but the Commonwealth,” McDougall said during his presentation.

The bill would codify several regulatory practices in statute, require restaurants to have at least as many table seats as counter seats, reduce the ratio to 30% for establishments that meet a monthly minimum of $4,000 in food sales, and include a July 1 effective date and a two‑year sunset so the legislature can review collected data.

Supporters included restaurateurs and industry representatives who described tight margins in the restaurant business and said the pilot would let regulators collect real data. Tom List, an attorney who has represented restaurants across Virginia, said the measure provides needed flexibility and “protects public safety because it does say you must be open in the kitchen and serving food as long as you’re serving alcohol.” Restaurateur Donnie Glass said smaller establishments can be forced into difficult pricing choices and described the bill as “a very reasonable compromise.” David Hallock of 2 Capital Consulting urged the committee to use the two‑year period to gather evidence on market effects.

Opponents, including the Virginia Restaurant Association and other restaurant owners, said the change would permit more bar‑style operations and could undercut existing restaurants. Matt Betko of the Virginia Restaurant Association warned the bill would “create bars in this state” and urged a fiscal and market impact review. Several individual restaurant owners said meeting food‑sales requirements is currently straightforward and that lowering the ratio to 30% risks creating competitive imbalances and encouraging fraud.

Committee members pressed on operational details such as whether kitchens must remain open when alcohol is served and how much data the two‑year pilot would yield. Senator Serveau asked whether the statutory change would require kitchens to stay open until closing; patrons and staff replied that current ABC regulations require food to be available up to 30 minutes before closing and that the bill seeks to codify that practice. McDougall said the bill’s data collection will start as ABC implements the change and that the two‑year sunset was a negotiated compromise.

The committee adopted a substitute and voted 14-1 to report the bill to the Senate floor. The substitute retains the $4,000 monthly food minimum and the 30% ratio, and adds the two‑year sunset and the reporting requirement to the committee chairs.

The bill drew more than an hour of testimony, including more than a dozen industry and community speakers. The committee’s action sends the measure to the full Senate for further consideration.

ACTIONS: Motion to adopt substitute and report SB 1163 to the Senate floor; outcome: reported (vote recorded in committee: 14 ayes, 1 no).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 31, 2025 - Rehabilitation and Social Services - 8:00 am","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 1163, which would lower Virginia’s mixed‑beverage food‑to‑alcohol ratio to 30% under a two‑year pilot, was advanced by the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee on a 14‑1 vote.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357636,"Votes at a glance: committee actions on bills heard Oct. 12, 2025",739,65000,804000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f&start=65&end=804","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f/thumbnail_65000.jpg","/articles/6357636/Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-actions-on-bills-heard-Oct-12-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357636-fd56189d63c1d555f14a39fdb95b3004/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135756&Signature=MtwdRB9Aq-AU7c9kI1VVgCl3GEbrIUvAgY8Ss9Gyln4VwJAUJWMQeOymsgm9Wcl9OyoJtkAPq4M0vNTrpxEhRJ0s1Qd4kct7~uR~Rv2h4vOe6F-sdHTQg7JbiWT4ModIsPXa-hg-E~H-MeJhdhnhO3gqXIdBEXn3g1Yx3g8t72ijZR~9pcWN1B1lxbtFb24e01z0wDfQqk3PwkV8sPqZ0eaewIxp~B8V384YH1YlxIFwZyyiymigwa4jdM4WPAd~K5knG5PqUAITF2~OQgz2v6nw0ey-O7OxDQaykAQl6JtEm8~7~vicVe8EUG9OyXB8Q67QZUX2z7ZcF9Ms-ybDoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee considered a range of bills on Oct. 12, 2025. The committee recorded outcomes on multiple items; below are brief summaries and the committee result as recorded in the transcript.

- Senate Bill 868 — Alcohol: canned ready‑to‑drink cocktails. Sponsor: Senator Reeves. Summary: Would allow restaurants holding mixed‑beverage ABC licenses to serve canned ready‑to‑drink cocktails (no larger than 16 ounces and not over 15% ABV) purchased from Virginia ABC. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 14, No 0).

- Senate Bill 1153 — Assisted living receivership. Sponsor: Senator Mark Obenshain. Summary: Gives DSS authority, with judicial oversight, to petition for receivership of assisted‑living facilities in appropriate life‑safety cases. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 15, No 0).

- Senate Bill 1163 — Mixed‑beverage ratio pilot. Sponsor: Senator McDougall. Summary: Lowers mixed‑beverage ratio to 30%, $4,000 monthly food minimum, seating requirements, two‑year sunset; requires a report to committee chairs. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 14, No 1). See separate article for full coverage.

- SP/ SB 1054 — Cannabis regulatory drafting. Sponsor: Senator Evans. Summary: Directs the Cannabis Control Authority to draft retail regulations and return to the General Assembly for review if the legislature has not adopted a retail framework. Committee action: Passed by Indefinitely (PBI) / referred for further study (Ayes 15, No 0 as recorded).

- Bill 1039 — Telehealth in jails. Sponsor: Senator Pokarski. Summary: Authorizes the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to develop telehealth policies and private spaces for inmate telehealth appointments; includes reporting requirement to the Joint Commission on Health Care. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 15, No 0).

- Senate Bill 909 — Motor sports advertising. Sponsor: Senator Stanley. Summary: Permits certain alcohol and nicotine product advertising and sponsorships at motor sports facilities subject to audience‑age limitations and other conditions. Committee action: Motion to pass by indefinitely (PBI) prevailed (recorded vote: Ayes 9, No 5, 1 abstention); committee discussion noted concerns about underage exposure and venue definition.

- Senate Bill 1406 — Children’s Ombudsman notices for foster youth. Sponsor: Senator Saleem. Summary: Requires children 12 and older in foster care to receive Ombudsman contact information annually and allows the Ombudsman to communicate with a child making a complaint without guardian consent. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 15, No 0 as recorded).

- Senate Bill 937 — Provisional licensing and administrative review (DSS). Sponsor: Senator Craig. Summary: Substitute clarifies that issuance of a provisional license to certain adult care providers is not a case decision subject to judicial review under the Administrative Process Act; committee debate raised questions about oversight and appeal rights. Committee action: Reported with substitute (final committee roll recorded; transcript contains multiple procedural votes and a final report — see committee minutes for exact tallies on the subsequent motions).

- Senate Bill 870 — Health information sharing for reentry planning. Sponsor: Senator (transcript label: Provo). Summary: Authorizes limited health‑information sharing with DMAS to support discharge, planning and reentry for incarcerated individuals. Committee action: Reported (Ayes 15, No 0).

These committee actions send most measures to the full Senate for further consideration; SP/ SB 1054 and SB 909 were deferred for additional study or passed by indefinite motion as noted above. If a bill’s recorded tally in the transcript is unclear, consult the committee clerk’s official roll for the certified vote.","Summary of committee votes and short descriptions for bills considered by the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":81,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357641,"Committee backs bill to let Social Services seek receivership for troubled assisted living facilities",577,227000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f&start=227&end=804","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2213842-c9a7a1f99707602625d249dde32dee6f/thumbnail_227000.jpg","/articles/6357641/Virginia/Committee-backs-bill-to-let-Social-Services-seek-receivership-for-troubled-assisted-living-facilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357641-a80d9699404d46d47da6f30f8e1b96dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771135756&Signature=E8H6op~Ku5MfOdjpnU4qUz5-QSuFcs9sKZbJG9gCXOxm6b0s~PvCmK5qrSbVPtSAwcTQabBgCio5YQvSX2WlCtsq5KGPRYVTvVmj4YjqMuE-Q~GJbdEZgLPBFyzNj~T2431eOIR~3rB3lwxGFRNhsPrr1VTrC32DH-gi5QJMJsGn9VMJZGBBnRTSPQnxFtfSQnaVaHxUMDCgZ2XR4LsPbjnAMw~5fvDZkdzsaS~siGVmo-~234BCKw3Mbd~PSSsMzr3R5NMCb7mgC6o0~AUDuWa2cTeYq6gobPccaF4mHkAyi3GqlNfeyHwi44wi21xi640GLY1AFe0R6oqAvrjsBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1153, sponsored by Senator Mark Obenshain, would authorize the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS) to petition a court to appoint a receiver to manage an assisted living facility when there are documented life‑safety and welfare concerns that place residents at risk. The committee adopted a substitute and reported the bill by voice vote, recorded as 15‑0 in committee.

Obenshain told the committee the measure responds to recurring incidents in which assisted‑living facilities had serious health and safety failures and state officials lacked an administrative mechanism to assume control and protect residents. “There is a statutory process by which they can do that in nursing homes,” Obenshain said. “But for a skilled assisted living facility, the Department of Social Services explained to me that because of due process concerns, they have to wait until somebody is actually convicted… which places these residents in severe risk.”

Under current law, DSS and the Department of Health have different legal authorities for nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. The bill’s substitute makes technical and placement changes requested by DSS so the receivership process is aligned with the facilities most affected, the sponsor said. Committee staff and general counsel described the changes as technical in nature intended to place the text in the most appropriate code section.

Committee members asked about procedural safeguards, notification processes and judicial oversight. Staff confirmed that a judge would determine whether receivership is appropriate and that the substitute retains notification and other procedural protections. During discussion Senator Williams Graves and others described the bill as a needed “tool in the toolbox” for situations in which residents face ongoing danger; witnesses said one facility cited in testimony still housed about 40 residents.

The committee adopted the substitute and the clerk recorded the vote as 15‑0, reporting the bill to the floor.

ACTIONS: Motion to adopt substitute and report SB 1153; outcome: reported (committee voice vote recorded as Ayes 15, No 0).","Senate Bill 1153 would give the Virginia Department of Social Services authority to petition for a receiver to manage assisted living facilities with serious life‑safety issues, mirroring existing authority for skilled nursing facilities; the committee adopted a substitute and reported the bill unanimously.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee advances temporary reduction in mixed-beverage food-to-alcohol ratio after hours of testimony

Votes at a glance: committee actions on bills heard Oct. 12, 2025

Committee backs bill to let Social Services seek receivership for troubled assisted living facilities