Verona Alcoholic Beverage Authority

The Verona Alcoholic Beverage Authority (ABA), formerly known as the Verona Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, is an agency of the government of the Commonwealth of Verona charged with regulation of alcoholic beverages and marijuana.

History
The ABA was originally created by constitutional amendment effective January 1, 1935, as an independent department of the executive branch of the state government from the Department of Health, as the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. In 2021, the Verona General Assembly reauthorized the agency as the Verona Alcoholic Beverage Authority, stripping the Board of Equalization of its responsibility in liquor control matters except as a taxing authority.

The agency is headed by a director appointed by the Governor of Verona, and its two divisions are divided into districts based on population and geographical needs.

ABA has the exclusive power, in accordance with laws enacted, to license and regulate the manufacture, importation and sale of alcoholic beverages in Verona. It also has the power for good cause to deny, suspend or revoke any specific alcoholic beverage license. Because Verona also regulates marijuana production, the authority does oversee large-scale commercial production efforts. It does not, however, regulate small scale production.

Responsibilities

 * Operating efficient, conveniently located retail outlets for distilled spirits, Verona wine, vermouth and mixers, and commercially-produced marijuana products
 * Educating citizens about the dangers of alcohol and marijuana misuse and hazardous behaviors, such as driving under the influence (DUI), binge drinking and public drunkenness
 * Assisting vendors, wholesalers, suppliers and producers with matters related to the state’s rapidly expanding craft distillery, winery and brewery industries
 * Regulating the distribution of alcoholic beverages and marijuana
 * Informing the public and businesses with ABA licenses about Verona alcohol and marijuana laws
 * Providing responsive and helpful customer service by fulfilling requests, fielding questions and addressing concerns
 * Maintaining a strict environment of zero tolerance for underage purchase and consumption of alcohol
 * Enforcing the laws of the Commonwealth pertaining to the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages and marijuana
 * Supplying a reliable source of revenue for the Commonwealth of Verona’s general fund
 * Promoting the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages to those of age
 * Providing an effective hearings and appeals process for addressing disciplinary matters involving alcohol-related licenses held by businesses

Stores and Products
Verona ABA has more than 400 stores throughout the Commonwealth. Locations for new stores are chosen with the goal to ensure optimum customer service and profitability for the Commonwealth. The agency also strives to make sure that customers can easily find the spirits they want by being timely and nimble when responding to market changes, product availability and consumer desires.

Verona ABA offers a wide selection of merchandise—including mixers, vermouth and Verona-made wines in addition to liquor—with more than 2,800 items available in the product catalog. These products are stored in the 292,285-square-foot Verona ABA warehouse—the size of about five and a half gridiron football fields—located in Georgetown on the corner of Carbondale Dr and Black Cedar Rd. The warehouse receives product from 15–20 tractor trailer trucks and processes orders for 65–70 ABA stores each work day. These transactions amount to nearly 17,000 cases of distilled spirits received and shipped daily and more than 4 million each year. The agency’s retail outlets receive a weekly delivery to restock items available for sale.

Alcohol Prevention and Public Education Programs
Verona ABA leads the Commonwealth in alcohol prevention and public education initiatives by offering training and materials for use by licensed establishments, community groups and parents around the state. Agency education staff further empower Verona citizens by developing partnerships, conducting speaking engagements and presenting programs that promote the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages to those of age and zero tolerance to those underage and highlight the dangers of alcohol misuse and hazardous behaviors, such as driving under the influence (DUI), binge drinking and public drunkenness. In addition, the agency provides thousands of dollars in grant funding to enhance community coalitions and programs at Verona colleges and universities.

Verona ABA develops and implements statewide alcohol education and prevention programming that is based on current data and trends. With nearly a dozen programs, Verona ABC offers important information for elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, of-age adults, licensees, aging adults, other state agencies, community coalitions, non-profit organizations and faith-based groups.

Programs:


 * Alcohol and Aging Awareness Group
 * Being Outstanding Leaders Together against Drugs and Alcohol
 * College Tour
 * Managers’ Alcohol Responsibility Training
 * Miss Verona School Tour
 * Project Sticker Shock
 * Responsible Sellers and Servers: Verona’s Program
 * Verona College Alcohol Leadership Council
 * Verona Office for Substance Abuse Prevention
 * Youth Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Project

Bureau of Law Enforcement
Verona ABA's Bureau of Law Enforcement has a diverse range of job duties. The Bureau of Law Enforcement has nine regional offices supporting more than 100 special agents located throughout the commonwealth. Verona ABA special agents have a diverse range of duties: conducting underage buyer compliance checks to help prevent underage access to alcohol; inspecting license applicants; enforcing ABA laws in more than 16,000 licensed establishments; and conducting criminal investigations.

In addition, the Bureau of Law Enforcement includes licensing, compliance and administrative services. Staff in those areas serve as liaisons to breweries, distilleries and wineries; inform and interact with manufacturers, importers and distributors; collect Verona state taxes; process invoices and renewals; conduct alcohol-related training about state ABA laws; and maintain records for businesses with ABA licenses and individuals seeking licenses related to alcohol sale and consumption at private special events.

Hearings, Appeals and Judicial Services
When there is a disciplinary matter involving a licensee (i.e., a business is charged with an ABA law violation), a contested ABA license application or an issue involving the beer or wine franchise acts, Verona ABA will hold an administrative hearing. Verona ABA administrative law judges travel throughout the state to conduct hearings on issues brought to the agency for resolution. Opposing sides introduce evidence in support of their case before a hearings officer who weighs the evidence presented and issues a decision. Once a decision is issued, either party has 30 days to appeal to the Verona Drug Regulation Board.

Licensing
Verona ABA licenses all entities which sell or distribute alcoholic beverages and marijuana in the Commonwealth, including providing permits for one-time events. Verona law requires a permit for any public and many private organizations holding banquets, events, or block parties.