Gov. Steve Beshear included a bill to  expand bourbon sampling laws for special legislative session he set Monday to come up with a state budget.

Beshear also said in his statement that the House and Senate “appear to be in agreement” on the distilled spirits sampling bills. Such an agreement, he said, was critical to his decision of placing the issues on the agenda.

The AP reported Kentucky’s bourbon distillers are seeking a change in state law to promote more sampling of their whiskey.

The change would make it easier for distillers to set up sampling booths at conventions, conferences, liquor stores, restaurants and special events, said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

“Needless to say, every time we have a national convention in the bourbon capital of the world, people come in and hope we have a bourbon sampling,”

a sponsor of the bill, Susan Westrom, said.

Under current law, liquor license holders can apply for special licenses to conduct samplings. Distillers themselves, however, are not permitted to offer samples outside their premises.

That means master distillers can’t be on hand at samplings to discuss and promote their products.

“Our master distillers know more about their brands than anybody else in the world. We would think it’s more educational for consumers to be able to talk to these people.”

said the head of the distillers group.

Under the proposal, distillers would only be able to conduct sampling events at locations that already have liquor licenses. Sampling events would not be permitted in dry communities.

Customers also would be limited to three, half-ounce samples per day.