TABC agents, staff working with retailers to promote safe alcohol sales and consumption during 2025 holiday season
AUSTIN — As Texas heads into the 2025 holiday season, agents with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) will be active in communities across the state to promote safe, responsible alcohol sales and prevent underage access to alcohol during one of the busiest times of year for retailers.
Throughout the holidays, TABC agents and auditors will be in liquor stores, bars, restaurants, and other businesses that sell alcohol, focusing on education, compliance checks, and cooperative efforts with retailers to ensure proper ID verification and prevent sales to minors. These efforts are part of TABC’s annual holiday public safety operations.
Dozens of TABC’s commissioned peace officers will take part in compliance operations, including minor sales investigations and increased patrols in high-traffic areas. The goal is two-fold: protecting the public and helping businesses maintain compliance during the surge in alcohol sales that occurs around holidays and end-of-year celebrations.
“Our focus during the holiday season is on partnership, prevention, and public safety,” said Thomas W. Graham, Executive Director of TABC. “We work closely with retailers to make sure their employees are trained, supported, and confident when it comes to checking IDs and refusing sales when appropriate. Responsible alcohol sales are essential to keeping Texas communities safe, especially during this busy time of year.”
Agents will also work directly with businesses to help identify fraudulent IDs and share real-world examples of the most common methods used by minors attempting to purchase alcohol, Graham added.
“Education is our first line of defense,” he said. “We would much rather help retailers get it right than take enforcement action. Our goal is compliance, not punishment — and the best outcomes come when we work together.”
Businesses that sell alcohol to individuals under the age of 21 may face a civil fine, suspension or cancellation of their liquor license. Employees who make an illegal sale may also face criminal charges, including a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. For more information on responsible alcohol sales, training resources, or TABC enforcement programs, visit www.tabc.texas.gov.
Media Contact:
Chris Porter
Director of Communications
media@tabc.texas.gov
Meeting documents posted for Dec. 11 Public Hearing
Join TABC staff by video conference to discuss rules proposed by the commission and published in the Texas Register for public comment.
Review the full text of the proposed rules by accessing the Dec. 5 edition of the Texas Register or by accessing the link below.
After these proposed rules are published in the Texas Register and a 30-day formal comment period has lapsed, the rules will be eligible for adoption at a subsequent TABC commission meeting.
Industry Notice: Provisional Product Registration and Impact of Federal Government Reopening
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission began accepting and approving Provisional Product Registration Applications last month when the U.S. federal government shut down. However, the government reopened on Nov. 13, which means TABC is no longer accepting or approving provisional applications, and any business with an approved provisional product registration must take prompt action in accordance with TABC Rule 45.12.
Agenda and meeting documents posted for Nov. 18 commission meeting
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Central time.
Watch or listen live from your internet browser by using the video player at the bottom of our Agency Meetings page. You can also attend the meeting at our Austin headquarters in the Commission Meeting Room.
Members of the public who attend in person can register at the meeting to address the commission during time set aside for public comment. The online form to sign up for virtual public comment closes every Monday before the commission meeting.
TABC Executive Director Thomas W. Graham named regional vice chair of National Conference of State Liquor Administrators
AUSTIN — Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Executive Director Thomas W. Graham has been named vice chair of the National Conference of State Liquor Administrators (NCSLA) Southern Region.
Graham was appointed to the position by NCSLA Southern Region Chair Russell Thomas on Oct. 27. His term will conclude on June 30, 2026. Graham, who first joined TABC in 2006, was named executive director of the agency in 2022.
The NCSLA is the country’s leading voice for state alcohol regulators, with chapters in each U.S. state. The group’s primary mission is to promote effective and equitable alcoholic beverage control laws in each state while helping to devise the most effective enforcement methods for each state’s alcohol regulations. The group also assists states in working with the federal government to ensure each state’s alcoholic beverage industry is in compliance with federal requirements.
As an NCSLA regional vice chair, Graham will represent both Texas and its partner states across the Southern region.
“This is an incredible honor that really highlights the key role of Texas and its alcoholic beverage industry across the nation,” Graham said. “As one of the United States’ largest economies, Texas can and should have a leading voice when addressing the successes and challenges of alcohol regulation in all 50 states. I couldn’t be prouder of the men and women of TABC, as well as our partners in the Texas alcoholic beverage industry. It’s my honor to work with them to ensure future success.”
The NCSLA was founded in Chicago in 1934, shortly after the end of Prohibition. The group provides educational resources to its member states and assists in facing modern regulatory challenges such as new beverage categories, ownership structures, and more.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission was established by the Texas Legislature in 1935 as the Texas Liquor Control Board. The agency is charged with regulating all phases of the state’s alcoholic beverage industry and employs more than 200 commissioned peace officers and dozens of civilian auditors to help ensure public safety and compliance at more than 60,000 licensed businesses in Texas.
Media Contact:
Chris Porter
TABC Director of Communications
media@tabc.texas.gov
