Kentucky lawmakers discuss possible expansion of Alcoholic Beverage Control

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — Lawmakers are discussing a possible expansion of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control by creating a new division.

As the industry continues to grow, so do its responsibilities.

“We have 40 officers for the entire state of Kentucky. So, we’re going to have to really look at, you know, every time we give them more responsibilities, it’s more of their time,” said ABC Commissioner Allyson Taylor.

Rep. Matthew Koch said it’s the beginning stages of much-needed conversations.

“As we talked with the cannabis-infused beverages and we’re going through that, I think it brings up a bigger discussion,” he explained. “Is there a need, and what would it look like to create a division of ABCs to include all intoxicating substances?”

The discussion comes after the passing of Senate Bill 202 during the 2025 legislative session, which regulated cannabis-infused beverages.

Cannabuzz Founder and CEO Annie Rouse said that the bill put a lot of regulations on her business, which cost a lot of money in additional fees.

“We are currently regulated by three different regulatory agencies between the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health, and now the ABC. For the products that we have, we pay over $13,000 to operate just from licensing fees alone, not including product registration fees,” she explained.

Rouse said as long as the conversation continues, they will continue making their voices heard.