Nevada Bill Proposes Mixed-Drink Delivery Service with Meals, DUI Program Funding

Under Assembly Bill 375, which is being considered by Nevada lawmakers, food delivery services would be allowed to deliver sealed mixed-drink alcoholic beverages with meal orders. The bill is an attempt to answer increased consumer demand and bring Nevada's alcohol laws, which currently restrict the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption and ban alcohol from being in delivery orders, in line with how people do business today.

“The idea here is to allow small businesses restaurants to deliver cocktails when you order food. Everyone knows how to use delivery platforms. Right now, there's a restriction where they cannot deliver alcohol of any kind,” said Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, who introduced the bill. The proposal has drawn strong support from well-known Las Vegas establishments such as Ferraro's and Golden Steer. Tacotarian co-owner Kristen Corral supports the bill but recommends requiring health cards for delivery drivers handling food and beverages.

The bill mandates that drivers verify recipients are at least 21 years old to ensure responsible alcohol delivery. A portion of the service fees collected would fund DUI enforcement and prevention programs. The legislation also proposes naming Picon Punch as Nevada's official state drink.
While the bill enjoys support from the restaurant industry, opposition has surfaced.

The Nevada Resort Association and Clark County have raised concerns about how the legislation would affect resort corridors and are seeking amendments allowing local opt-outs. Clark County is still hammering out the rules for liquor delivery following the 2021 legalization of third-party deliveries and relevant ordinances; jurisdictions in Nevada can also pass additional requirements or impose fees even if AB 375 does pass. The Department of Taxation can also assess a surcharge of up to 50 cents per sale of a cocktail.

Nevada could copy Iowa's example. Iowa was the first to allow permanent delivery of mixed drinks, in 2020. If it passes as currently written, AB 375 could transform how restaurants and consumers deal with alcohol sales and delivery everywhere in California, as the debate over AB 375 continues.