(a) The county legislative body of any county shall have the right and power, and such county authorities shall have the duty, to call and direct the county election commission to hold an election at any time, upon the filing and presentation of a petition bearing the genuine signatures of ten percent (10%) or more of the qualified voters of such county, based upon the number of votes cast in the last preceding presidential election in such county. Such petition shall be addressed to the county legislative body, and shall contain such language as to request, or to call upon the county legislative body, to call an election of the qualified voters of the county upon the question of permitting and legalizing the manufacture of intoxicating liquors and other intoxicating drinks within the boundaries of the county.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 57-2-103

  • beverage: means and includes alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, high alcohol content beer, and every liquid containing alcohol, spirits, wine, and high alcohol content beer and capable of being consumed by a human being, other than patent medicine or beer, as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Commission: means the alcoholic beverage commission, except as otherwise provided. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • County mayor: means and includes "county executive" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Distillery: means and includes any place or premises wherein any liquors are manufactured for sale. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • High alcohol content beer: means an alcoholic beverage which is beer, ale or other malt beverage having an alcoholic content of more than eight percent (8%) by weight and not more than twenty percent (20%) by weight, except wine as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • License: means the license issued pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Licensee: means any person to whom such license has been issued pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Manufacture: means and includes brewing high alcohol content beer, distilling, rectifying and operating a winery. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Manufacturer: means and includes a brewer of high alcohol content beer, distiller, vintner and rectifier. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Municipality: means an incorporated town or city having a population of:
    (i) Seven hundred (700) or more, according to the 2010 federal census or a subsequent federal census. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Wine: means the product of the normal alcoholic fermentation of the juice of dried or fresh, sound, ripe grapes, fruit, or other agricultural products, with the usual cellar treatment and necessary additions to correct defects due to climatic, saccharine, and seasonal conditions, including champagne, sparkling, and fortified wine of an alcoholic content not to exceed twenty-one percent (21%) by volume. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Upon the adoption of a motion or resolution by the county legislative body directing the holding of an election, the county clerk shall file a certified copy of the motion or resolution with the county election commission.
(c) If a majority of the qualified votes cast in such election, in a county so holding an election, favors the manufacture of intoxicating liquors or other intoxicating drinks, as herein provided, in that event, it shall be lawful to manufacture intoxicating liquors and/or intoxicating drinks within the boundaries of such county.
(d)

(1) Notwithstanding subsections (a)-(c), it shall be lawful to manufacture intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, within the boundaries of:

(A) A municipality if both retail package sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises have been approved through referendum of voters within such municipality;
(B) A municipality that has approved consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises within the municipality by local option election and that is located in a county having a population of not less than forty-eight thousand five hundred (48,500) and not more than forty-eight thousand six hundred (48,600), according to the 2010 federal census or any subsequent federal census;
(C) The unincorporated areas of a county, or a municipality which has a population of less than one thousand (1,000) persons in such county, if any jurisdiction located within such county has approved retail package sales through referendum of voters and any jurisdiction located within such county has approved consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises through referendum of voters or if the county is included in the Tennessee River resort district as defined in § 57-4-102 and retail package sales have been approved through referendum by the voters in any jurisdiction within such county;
(D) Any municipality authorized under § 57-4-102(28) to allow facilities or establishments in such municipality to sell alcoholic beverages or wine for on premises consumption;
(E) Any county or municipality where it was lawful to have manufacturing of intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both under this subsection (d) as it read prior to July 1, 2013; or
(F) Any county that has at least three (3) establishments, located in such county or in any municipality in such county, licensed under § 57-4-102(28) to sell alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption if such county was included in this subsection (d) as it read prior to July 1, 2013.
(2)

(A) Notwithstanding subdivision (d)(1), the county legislative body of any such county may adopt a resolution to remove the unincorporated areas of the county from the application of this subsection (d) subject to the restrictions in subdivision (d)(2)(B). The county mayor shall notify the alcoholic beverage commission if such action is taken and approved.
(B) Such action may be taken by the county legislative body pursuant to subdivision (d)(2)(A) until a written notification is filed with the county mayor by any person as an official notice that the person intends to pursue all lawful avenues to manufacture intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, within the unincorporated areas of the county. Once the notice is filed, no action may be taken by the county legislative body unless such interest is withdrawn or the person’s application to manufacture such intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, is denied by the state or federal government. A written notification as described pursuant to this subdivision (d)(2)(B) may not be filed with the county mayor until at least forty-five (45) days after July 1, 2013.
(C) If a county adopts a resolution pursuant to subdivision (d)(2)(A), the county may at a later date adopt a resolution reversing such action. The county mayor shall notify the alcoholic beverage commission if such action is taken and approved.
(3)

(A) Notwithstanding subdivision (d)(1), the legislative body of any municipality may adopt a resolution to remove the municipality from the application of this subsection (d) subject to the restrictions in subdivision (d)(3)(B). The legislative body of the municipality shall notify the alcoholic beverage commission if such action is taken and approved.
(B) Such action may be taken by the legislative body of the municipality pursuant to subdivision (d)(3)(A) until a written notification is filed with the legislative body of the municipality by any person as an official notice that the person intends to pursue all lawful avenues to manufacture intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, within the boundaries of the municipality. Once the notice is filed, no action may be taken by the legislative body of the municipality unless such interest is withdrawn or the person’s application to manufacture such intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, is denied by the state or federal government. A written notification as described pursuant to this subdivision (d)(3)(B) may not be filed with the legislative body of the municipality until at least forty-five (45) days after July 1, 2013.
(C) If a municipality adopts a resolution pursuant to subdivision (d)(3)(A), the municipality may at a later date adopt a resolution reversing such action. The legislative body of the municipality shall notify the alcoholic beverage commission if such action is taken and approved.
(4) If a manufacturer that has been issued a license pursuant to this subsection (d) is also selling the manufacturer’s alcoholic beverages or products at retail and the manufacturer is located in a jurisdiction that pursuant to § 57-5-105 has established a distance requirement that restricts the storage, sale or manufacture of beer from places of public gatherings or in a municipality or Class B county that pursuant to § 57-5-106 has adopted proper ordinances governing the storage, sale, manufacture and/or distribution of beer within its jurisdictional boundary, then any distance requirement related to a building used for religious purposes or a building used as an elementary or secondary school in effect in that jurisdiction shall apply to the building used for the retail sale of the manufacturer’s alcoholic beverages or products containing alcohol. The measurement shall be a building-to-building measurement.
(5) Notwithstanding subsections (a)-(c) and subdivision (d)(1), it shall be lawful to manufacture intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, on property that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and where intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both, were previously distilled on such property, or approximately on such property.
(6) A municipality as described in § 57-4-102(28)(B) may adopt an ordinance imposing a minimum distance, not to exceed one thousand feet (1,000′), between distilleries manufacturing distilled spirits; provided, that the ordinance shall not apply to or affect any licensed distillery in operation and open to the public prior to April 12, 2016. A distillery that is exempt from an ordinance adopted under this subdivision (d)(6) shall remain exempt from any ordinance adopted under this subdivision (d)(6) upon the transfer of any ownership interest in the distillery to a successor in interest.
(e) Any manufacturer’s license issued pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) shall comply with § 57-3-202.
(f)

(1) Notwithstanding subsections (a)-(c), it shall be lawful to manufacture high alcohol content beer as defined in § 57-3-101(a) within the boundaries of:

(A) A municipality if both retail package sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises have been approved through voter referendum of voters within such municipality; or
(B) The unincorporated areas of a county if any jurisdiction located within such county has approved retail package sales through referendum of voters and any jurisdiction located within such county has approved consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises through referendum of voters or if the county is included in the Tennessee River resort district as defined in § 57-4-102 and retail package sales have been approved through voter referendum in any jurisdiction within the county.
(2) Any manufacturer authorized pursuant to subdivision (f)(1) must also hold a brewer’s notice approved by the United States department of the treasury, alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau, or any successor federal beer manufacturing permit granted by a federal bureau having jurisdiction over the manufacture of beer.
(3) In all jurisdictions not meeting the requirements of subdivision (f)(1), it shall be lawful to manufacture high alcohol content beer as defined in § 57-3-101(a) within the boundaries of a municipality or in the unincorporated area of such county upon such jurisdiction meeting the requirements of subsections (a)-(c), and if the manufacturer also holds a brewer’s notice approved by the United States department of the treasury, alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau, or any successor federal beer manufacturing permit granted by a federal bureau having jurisdiction over the manufacture of beer.
(4) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, it shall be lawful for any manufacturer of high alcohol content beer authorized to manufacture such beverages pursuant to subdivision (f)(1) to also brew beer as this term is defined in § 57-5-101(b) on the same premises of the manufacturer of high alcohol content beer, upon meeting necessary federal, state and local license requirements.
(5) The general assembly hereby ratifies any action which may have been taken by the alcoholic beverage commission in issuing a license to a manufacturer of high alcohol content beer prior to June 10, 2011.
(g) The general assembly hereby ratifies any action which may have been taken by the alcoholic beverage commission in issuing a license to a manufacturer of intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both prior to July 1, 2013.
(h)

(1) Any person who has received a manufacturing license for intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both from the alcoholic beverage commission or who has an application for such manufacturing license pending with the commission on July 1, 2013, may still receive and be able to renew the license if the person was authorized to apply for such license under this section prior to July 1, 2013.
(2) Any person who has received the necessary permit to manufacture intoxicating liquors or intoxicating drinks, or both from the alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau (TTB) or who has an application for such permit pending with the TTB on July 1, 2013, may still receive and be able to renew a manufacturing license from the alcoholic beverage commission if the person was authorized to apply for such manufacturing license under this section prior to July 1, 2013.
(3) If any person obtains a manufacturing permit pursuant to this subsection (h), then the jurisdiction such licensee is located in shall be allowed to have other manufacturers located in such jurisdiction, notwithstanding subdivision (d)(1).
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