Latest news with #SB2225
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Senate advances bill allowing stores to sell ‘ready-to-drink' cocktails
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed SB 2225, which allows for spirit ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) to be sold in grocery and convenience stores where beer and wine beverages with the same alcohol content, limited to 17% alcohol by volume, are already being sold. The bill passed by a vote of 23-8 and will now head to the House for consideration. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States applauded the Texas Senate for passing the bill. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Bill allowing grocery stores, gas stations to sell 'ready-to-drink' cocktails advances out of committee 'Texans are one step closer to being able to pick up their favorite spirits ready-to-drink cocktails at grocery and convenience stores right next to their beer and wine,' said Corey Staniscia, DISCUS vice president of state government relations. 'SB 2225 increases consumer convenience and choice by responsibly expanding market access for these low-alcohol spirits products. This consumer- and business-friendly measure has real momentum, and we urge the House to take up and pass this bill in support of market freedom and consumer convenience.' A similar bill was introduced by Reps. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, and John Bucy III, D-Austin, HB 4077. The bill is awaiting a vote in the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee. According to substance detection tech company Mindr, Texas has the fifth most DUI deaths and is 33rd for DUI arrests. If passed, the bill would go into effect on Sept. 1, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill allowing grocery stores, gas stations to sell ‘ready-to-drink' cocktails advances out of committee
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A bill in the Texas Senate to allow the sale of 'ready-to-drink cocktails' (RTDs) at grocery and convenience stores passed a committee vote Wednesday. SB 2225 would allow stores that are licensed to sell beer and wine to apply for a certificate to sell liquor-based drinks. Those drinks would be limited to 17% alcohol by volume. Bill author Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-Fort Worth, wrote in her statement of intent that Texas' current alcohol laws, which allow the sale of beer and wine products with up to 17% ABV, are confusing for Texans. 'However, these same retailers are prohibited from selling spirit-based RTDs, even though most of these beverages fall within the same or lower ABV range as many wine and malt-based products already on store shelves,' she said. 'This inconsistency in Texas law creates confusion for consumers, places unnecessary limitations on free-market competition, and puts Texas businesses at a disadvantage compared to those in other states where spirit-based RTDs are treated equitably.' The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) said in a press release that it 'applauds 'the committee's vote. DISCUS VP Corey Staniscia said in the release that the legislature should prioritize the bill 'to increase consumer convenience' so Texans can have their favorite drinks 'in time for football season.' 'The Legislature has taken another step in moving forward this consumer- and business-friendly measure that adds additional market access for adult spirits consumers in Texas,' Staniscia said. The bill's companion in the House, HB 4077, authored by Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, and Rep. John Bucy III, D-Austin, is pending in the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee. The bill heads to the Senate floor for consideration. If it passes, it will head to the Texas House. Should the bill be enacted as law, it will take effect on Sept. 1. Texas has the fifth most DUI deaths and is 33rd for DUI arrests, according to substance detection tech company Mindr. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Approval recommended for purchase agreement on lot for indoor baseball, softball facility
Mar. 27—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown Finance and Legal Committee recommended approval on a 4-0 vote to have the city of Jamestown enter into a purchase agreement with Eagles Nest LLC for a city-owned lot that will be developed into an indoor practice facility for youth baseball and softball. Councilman David Schloegel was not present at the meeting on Tuesday, March 25. The property is on lot one and block two at the Harold P. Bensch Addition and is adjacent to 12th Avenue and 5th Street Southeast. The purchase price is about $76,000 for the property. Matt Perkins with Eagles Nest said he had a couple of concerns with the purchase agreement but didn't want those concerns to derail the project. His concerns included needing Jamestown City Council approval to sell the property within the first 30 months after the purchase agreement and city staff being able to request records from Eagles Nest of the indoor practice facility's operations. Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said the city needs to ensure that the project in the request for proposal is what happens at the location. Abbagail Geroux, assistant city attorney, said the city would actually need a valid reason to look into the records of Eagles Nest regarding the performance of the purchase agreement. The purchaser must agree to sell the property back to the city at the original purchase price if development does not occur within 30 months of the purchase in accordance with the development plan submitted as part of the original purchase proposal. The indoor practice facility for youth baseball and softball was originally planned to be on 2 acres in the JMS Aviation Park near Jamestown Regional Airport before changing its location, Perkins told The Jamestown Sun after the meeting. The Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approval of a request from the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. for a forgivable loan of $1 million to the city of Jamestown that will be used as matching dollars for a grant program that helps create residential housing development. Heinrich said $500,000 is also being deobligated for a JSDC housing program for the development of residential lots within Jamestown city limits. The $500,000 will be reallocated to use as matching dollars for the Housing for Opportunity, Mobility and Empowerment (HOME) grant program in the North Dakota Department of Commerce if Senate Bill 2225 is approved. Senate Bill 2225 would create the Housing for Opportunity, Mobility and Empowerment grant program. It would appropriate $50 million to the program. If SB 2225 is approved, the Commerce Department would award grants to political subdivisions to build infrastructure to support affordable market-rate housing. The grant program would be funded one time and ends on June 30, 2027. The Commerce Department would allocate $10 million for communities with a population of 5,000 or less, $20 million for communities with a population of 5,001 to 20,000 and $5 million for rural metropolitan areas located within 20 miles of city limits of a community with more than 20,000 people. The program would provide grant dollars for one-third of the infrastructure costs for residential development projects. The local political subdivision and the developer of the residential lots would each provide one-third of the costs for residential development projects. A minimum of five residential lots would need to be developed using the HOME program and the agreements for residential lot development would be between the city of Jamestown and the developer. The Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approval to introduce the first reading of an ordinance to prohibit camping on public property within Jamestown city limits. The ordinance would add Article 53 of Chapter 22 to Jamestown city code and amend the existing city code — Section 21-16-04.1 — regarding campers. Geroux said the ordinance would prohibit camping on city streets, boulevards, parks and other publicly-owned property. She said camping would be allowed in designated areas for camping. She said a camper or recreational vehicle is still allowed to be placed adjacent to a property owner's property for up to 14 days. The Jamestown City Council will make the first reading of the ordinance at its meeting on April 7. In other business, the Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approval to introduce the first reading of an ordinance to amend Section 1-10 of the city code to increase Jamestown Municipal Court fees. The administration fee will increase from $30 to $125 and the facility fee will increase from $25 to $100. Heinrich said the intent was to have the Municipal Court fees match the fees at Southeast District Court in Jamestown.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JSDC board approves $1 million for housing grant program
Mar. 12—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board of Directors unanimously approved on Monday, March 10, a forgivable loan of $1 million to the city of Jamestown that will be used as matching dollars for a grant program that helps create residential housing development. The funding is contingent on approval of Senate Bill 2225 in the state Legislature. The bill was approved in the Senate and is now in the House. SB 2225 establishes the Housing for Opportunity, Mobility and Empowerment (HOME) grant program in the North Dakota Department of Commerce. The Commerce Department would award grants to political subdivisions to build infrastructure to support affordable market-rate housing. The grant program would be funded one time and ends on June 30, 2027. SB 2225 would appropriate $50 million to the program. The Commerce Department would allocate $10 million for communities with a population of 5,000 or less, $20 million for communities with a population of 5,001 to 20,000 and $5 million for rural metropolitan areas located within 20 miles of city limits of a community with more than 20,000 people. The program provides grant dollars for one-third of the infrastructure costs for residential development projects. The local political subdivision and the developer of the residential lots would each provide one-third of the costs for residential development projects. In related business, the JSDC board unanimously approved deobligating $500,000 for a housing program for the development of residential lots within Jamestown city limits. The $500,000 was reallocated to use as matching dollars for the HOME grant program. The JSDC's housing program has not been used by any developers. If the $1million in funds are not used for the HOME grant program, they will return to the JSDC and go back into the economic development fund, said Corry Shevlin, CEO of JSDC. Although SB 2225 has not passed both chambers in the Legislature, Shevlin recommended approval of the forgivable loan to the city of Jamestown because the bill contains an emergency clause that would immediately fund the program once it is signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong. "There is an emergency clause on it, which is another reason that we're seeing this today versus next month or after session just so we have the ability to move quickly and not lose a construction season," Shevlin said. Shevlin said the HOME grant program would be used to develop residential lots within Jamestown city limits. He said dollars could be leveraged from the HOME grant program for projects outside of city limits if it makes sense. "There are some pretty significant differences in what it takes to stand up a residential development in the city versus outside the city," he said. He said additional costs in city limits include sewer, paved roads and curb and gutter. Using the HOME program would reduce the cost by two-thirds to develop residential lots in Jamestown. Shevlin said those lot prices would need to reflect that cost saving to the end buyer. How special assessments on a developed lot would be paid back will need to be negotiated between the developer and the city of Jamestown, he said. Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said a special assessment should be paid off when each lot is sold so the end buyer is purchasing a lot with no special assessments. "It would have to be in the lot price," he said. Shevlin said a minimum of five residential lots would need to be developed using the HOME program and the agreements for residential lot development would be between the city of Jamestown and the developer. He said anywhere from 35 to 55 lots could be developed with the program. He said developed lots are needed for all types of housing including multi-family and single-family residences. He said larger residential lots are needed for bigger houses that can be used to recruit doctors or other professionals to Jamestown. Heinrich said residential lots that could be developed are in east, northeast and southwest Jamestown. In 2021, the JSDC Board approved a request for $50,000 to contract preliminary engineering for cost estimates to proposed housing development sites. The cost of the preliminary engineering report completed by Interstate Engineering was $30,000. Interstate Engineering prepared the preliminary engineering report that includes existing conditions for five locations — Beverly Hills Sixth Addition, Horizon Estates First Addition and Schumacher Acres, Loose Bypass Subdivision, Looysen Scenic View Estates and the Meadows Addition — for potential development that would require additional city water and sanitary sewer infrastructure. The report analyzed the city's existing infrastructure that would connect to the proposed development locations and reviewed sanitary sewer and water mains.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JSDC board approves $1 million for housing grant program
Mar. 12—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. Board of Directors unanimously approved on Monday, March 10, a forgivable loan of $1 million to the city of Jamestown that will be used as matching dollars for a grant program that helps create residential housing development. The funding is contingent on approval of Senate Bill 2225 in the state Legislature. The bill was approved in the Senate and is now in the House. SB 2225 establishes the Housing for Opportunity, Mobility and Empowerment (HOME) grant program in the North Dakota Department of Commerce. The Commerce Department would award grants to political subdivisions to build infrastructure to support affordable market-rate housing. The grant program would be funded one time and ends on June 30, 2027. SB 2225 would appropriate $50 million to the program. The Commerce Department would allocate $10 million for communities with a population of 5,000 or less, $20 million for communities with a population of 5,001 to 20,000 and $5 million for rural metropolitan areas located within 20 miles of city limits of a community with more than 20,000 people. The program provides grant dollars for one-third of the infrastructure costs for residential development projects. The local political subdivision and the developer of the residential lots would each provide one-third of the costs for residential development projects. In related business, the JSDC board unanimously approved deobligating $500,000 for a housing program for the development of residential lots within Jamestown city limits. The $500,000 was reallocated to use as matching dollars for the HOME grant program. The JSDC's housing program has not been used by any developers. If the $1million in funds are not used for the HOME grant program, they will return to the JSDC and go back into the economic development fund, said Corry Shevlin, CEO of JSDC. Although SB 2225 has not passed both chambers in the Legislature, Shevlin recommended approval of the forgivable loan to the city of Jamestown because the bill contains an emergency clause that would immediately fund the program once it is signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong. "There is an emergency clause on it, which is another reason that we're seeing this today versus next month or after session just so we have the ability to move quickly and not lose a construction season," Shevlin said. Shevlin said the HOME grant program would be used to develop residential lots within Jamestown city limits. He said dollars could be leveraged from the HOME grant program for projects outside of city limits if it makes sense. "There are some pretty significant differences in what it takes to stand up a residential development in the city versus outside the city," he said. He said additional costs in city limits include sewer, paved roads and curb and gutter. Using the HOME program would reduce the cost by two-thirds to develop residential lots in Jamestown. Shevlin said those lot prices would need to reflect that cost saving to the end buyer. How special assessments on a developed lot would be paid back will need to be negotiated between the developer and the city of Jamestown, he said. Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said a special assessment should be paid off when each lot is sold so the end buyer is purchasing a lot with no special assessments. "It would have to be in the lot price," he said. Shevlin said a minimum of five residential lots would need to be developed using the HOME program and the agreements for residential lot development would be between the city of Jamestown and the developer. He said anywhere from 35 to 55 lots could be developed with the program. He said developed lots are needed for all types of housing including multi-family and single-family residences. He said larger residential lots are needed for bigger houses that can be used to recruit doctors or other professionals to Jamestown. Heinrich said residential lots that could be developed are in east, northeast and southwest Jamestown. In 2021, the JSDC Board approved a request for $50,000 to contract preliminary engineering for cost estimates to proposed housing development sites. The cost of the preliminary engineering report completed by Interstate Engineering was $30,000. Interstate Engineering prepared the preliminary engineering report that includes existing conditions for five locations — Beverly Hills Sixth Addition, Horizon Estates First Addition and Schumacher Acres, Loose Bypass Subdivision, Looysen Scenic View Estates and the Meadows Addition — for potential development that would require additional city water and sanitary sewer infrastructure. The report analyzed the city's existing infrastructure that would connect to the proposed development locations and reviewed sanitary sewer and water mains.
