OLCC release – Portland, OR — At its regular monthly meeting on September 11, 2020, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission adopted a rules package that addressed three main issues. Beer, wine and cider deliveries – First, the amended rules streamlined the regulatory framework allowing for delivery of beer, wine and cider to consumers. Specifically, the amendments to rules within this package: Eliminate the distinction between “same-day” and “next-day” deliveries of beer, wine and cider to consumers. Allow for “curbside” delivery of beer, wine and cider to consumers. Require all deliveries of beer, wine and cider to consumers to occur between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm. Vulnerable populations shopping hour – Second, a rule within the package extended the legal hours of sale at the start of a business day (beginning at 6:00 am) for licensed businesses like grocery stores to accommodate populations who are more susceptible to experiencing severe impacts of the COVID-19 virus. This extra hour allows those businesses to offer a vulnerable populations shopping hour that is separate from the rest of the shopping public hours. Distilled spirits deliveries – Third, on the distilled spirits front, in order to provide more social distancing options for customers, the Commissioners amended rules to: Allow approved-for-hire carriers (including common carriers and on-demand food and beverage carriers) to deliver factory-sealed containers of distilled spirits to consumers on behalf of those agents in the state of Oregon who are authorized to deliver packaged spirits to consumers. Designate the operations manuals for liquor store agents and distillery agents as the source for requirements and permissions related to deliveries of packaged distilled spirits to consumers. Currently, the operations manual for liquor store agents allows the liquor store agents to do ONLY curbside deliveries of distilled spirits with an in-person payment. The operations manual for distillery agents allows distillery agents to deliver distilled spirits to the curb and to a home (or business with a permanent street address. Distilleries may accept payment for distilled spirits through a website or mobile application and distilleries may deliver distilled spirits themselves or through an approved for hire carrier.
