H.B. No. 909

	AN ACT
	relating to the tasting of alcoholic beverages by students enrolled
	in certain courses.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 106.05(b), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(b)  A minor may possess an alcoholic beverage:
	(1)  while in the course and scope of the minor's
	employment if the minor is an employee of a licensee or permittee
	and the employment is not prohibited by this code;
	(2)  if the minor is in the visible presence of his
	adult parent, guardian, or spouse, or other adult to whom the minor
	has been committed by a court; [or]
	(3)  if the minor is under the immediate supervision of
	a commissioned peace officer engaged in enforcing the provisions of
	this code; or
	(4)  if the beverage is lawfully provided to the minor
	under Section 106.16.
	SECTION 2.  Section 106.06(b), Alcoholic Beverage Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(b)  A person may purchase an alcoholic beverage for or give
	an alcoholic beverage to a minor if the person is:
	(1)  [he is] the minor's adult parent, guardian, or
	spouse, or an adult in whose custody the minor has been committed by
	a court, and [he] is visibly present when the minor possesses or
	consumes the alcoholic beverage; or
	(2)  a person lawfully providing an alcoholic beverage
	to a minor under Section 106.16.
	SECTION 3.  Chapter 106, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended
	by adding Section 106.16 to read as follows:
	Sec. 106.16.  EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN COURSE WORK. (a) In
	this section:
	(1)  "Career school or college" has the meaning
	assigned by Section 132.001, Education Code.
	(2)  "Taste" means to draw a beverage into the mouth
	without swallowing or otherwise consuming the beverage.
	(b)  Notwithstanding any other law, a minor may taste an
	alcoholic beverage if:
	(1)  the minor:
	(A)  is at least 18 years old; and
	(B)  is enrolled:
	(i)  as a student at a public or private
	institution of higher education or a career school or college that
	offers a program in culinary arts, viticulture, enology or wine
	technology, brewing or beer technology, or distilled spirits
	production or technology; and
	(ii)  in a course that is part of a program
	described by Subparagraph (i);
	(2)  the beverage is tasted for educational purposes as
	part of the curriculum for the course described by Subdivision
	(1)(B)(ii);
	(3)  the beverage is not purchased by the minor; and
	(4)  the service and tasting of the beverage is
	supervised by a faculty or staff member who is at least 21 years of
	age.
	(c)  A public or private institution of higher education or a
	career school or college is not required to hold a license or permit
	to engage in the activities authorized under this section.
	SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
	to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
	An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law in effect at the time the offense was committed,
	and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
	purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
	effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
	before that date.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 909 was passed by the House on April
	16, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 1, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 909 was passed by the Senate on May
	22, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor