Senate Bill 85 is in the ‘House’ passing 147 to 14!
I guess Mondays
aren’t that bad!
This is a big step for Georgia’s breweries and
distilleries and get our state to, well, a state of normalcy when it comes to selling our brews
and spirits like pretty much everyone else. Passing in the House of Representatives today with a
vote of 147 to 14, Senate Bill 85 now goes back to the Senate for their very possible thumbs
up. This Schoolhouse Rock episode featuring my man "Bill" pictured up top is a perfect reflection of what is going down with SB 85 (but on a national level), but hopefully the ending will be just as happy.
Below is the official press release coming straight from
the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild. Shout outs to Senate Bill 85 author Senator Rick
Jeffares (R-Locust Grove), Howard Maxwell (R-Dallas) for carrying it through the
House, and Nancy Palmer, the exec and big cheese for of GCBG!
Bill to Allow
Limited Direct Sales from Breweries and Distilleries Passes Vote in House of
Representatives
The 2017 Georgia House of Representatives voted today in
favor of legislation to allow consumers to purchase beer or spirits directly at
the brewery or distillery where they are made. Senate Bill 85, authored by
Senator Rick Jeffares (R-Locust Grove) and carried in the House by
Representative Howard Maxwell (R-Dallas), passed with vote of 147 to 14.
“This legislation is a victory for small businesses
across our state from Blue Ridge to the Golden Isles,” said Speaker of the
House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge). “I appreciate all of the stakeholders coming
together and working out a solution that empowers our craft brewers and
distillers to create more jobs. As Georgia’s economy continues to grow and new
industries and entities enter the marketplace, this legislation will serve as
an example of how to move forward in a positive and mutually-beneficial way.”
Throughout the summer and fall of 2016 business leaders
from craft breweries and their wholesale partners met to discuss common sense
updates to benefit the beer industry in Georgia. “With suggestions championed
by both brewers and wholesalers, Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue
Ridge), Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, House Regulated Industries Committee
Chairman Howard Maxwell, and Senator Rick Jeffares have provided guidance to
create this legislation. Their commitment to supporting the small businesses of
Georgia shines through in SB85,” said Nancy Palmer, Executive Director of the
Georgia Craft Brewers Guild.
In the House Regulated Industries Committee under the
guidance of Chairman Howard Maxwell, Representative Ron Stephens, and
Representative Alan Powell, SB85 was modified to represent the terms of a
compromise reached by the Georgia Distillers Association and the Wine and
Spirit Wholesalers of Georgia. With the new language added, visitors to
breweries and distilleries will be able to sample products by the glass, take
up to three 750 ml bottles of spirits or one case of beer to go, and purchase
food without the current tour and tasting requirements. Both distilleries and
breweries will be subject to an annual sales cap of 500 and 3000 barrels
respectively. Furthermore, the bill slightly modifies the brewpub license to
reinforce local control on issues of to-go sales from brewpubs.
According to Palmer the Georgia Beer Wholesalers
Association and the Georgia Municipal Association are also due credit, “The
wholesalers of Georgia and our allies in cities across this state have been
crucial in this process.”
Having found common ground with his counterparts in the
industry, Chris Sywassink of Ghost Coast Distillery and the Georgia Distillers
Association added, “We’re grateful to our wholesale and retail partners for the
time they have spent working with us in a spirit of cooperation for the last
year. And we’re fortunate that leadership within the Georgia legislature has
created an environment that encouraged compromise and communication. The
GDA is especially indebted to Speaker David Ralston, Chairman Howard Maxwell
and Chairman Ron Stephens for their time, energy, encouragement and tireless
efforts over the past 2 years.”
Having been amended in the House of Representatives, SB85
will now head back to the Senate for consideration.
