Category: Legislative & Regulatory
News relating to the state and federal politics of beer and regulatory structure
News TTB Takes Input from Brewers on Ingredient Labelling
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is considering whether to require nutritional information on alcoholic beverages such as what the Food and Drug Administration has long required on other foods and beverages. The TTB is currently taking public comment – including those from the industry – until March 29.
(more...)
News Britain Puts the Freeze on Alcohol Tax Increases for 12 Months
Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt today announced a freeze on any increase in alcohol taxes until February 2025. The announcement was met with mixed reviews as many in the alcohol industry have been pushing for a reduction in taxes.
(more...)
News Party! New Jersey Law Finally Allows Self-Distribution and Special Events
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed into law Senate Bill 4265, the long-awaited legislation to give more privileges to craft breweries, cideries, meaderies and distilleries. The legislation finally gives craft producers many of the privileges that are allowed in almost all other states.
(more...)
News TTB Continues ‘Boot Camp for Brewers’ with Three Upcoming Webinars
The Alcohol Tobacco and Tax Trade Bureau has announced three new classes in the online “Boot Camp for Brewers” webinar series which allow brewers to tune in to educational videos relating to specific TTB requirements. The three new webinars include Labeling, Low/No Alcohol Beers and Advertising for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages.
(more...)
News Britain Freezes Tax on Beer Until Next Summer
British chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt announced last week that the government would freeze taxes on alcohol until at least summer of 2024. “I have listened to defenders of the great British pint, and I have decided to freeze all alcohol duty until August next year”, he said during his fall budget statement.
(more...)
News The Tax Man is Watching – TTB Accepts ‘Offers in Compromise’ for Alleged Tax Violations
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has accepted an “offer in compromise” from five alcohol beverage industry companies in the last few months for alleged tax violations. The amount of the compromise in these five cases ranged from $57,000 to $1.17 million.
(more...)
News ICP Rules that Welsh Brewer Beer Labels Appeal to Children
Complaints about beer labels from Welsh brewer Tiny Rebel were upheld by the alcohol industry’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP). Three of the brewery’s beers, Monstar, TinyFast and Primed were ruled to appeal to under-age drinkers or encouraging irresponsible consumption and suggesting the products had therapeutic qualities.
(more...)
News Ohio Craft Brewers Introduce Franchise Reform Legislation
After attempts to negotiate a deal with Ohio beer wholesalers, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association has introduced legislation to reform strict franchise laws in the state. The bill would exempt beer manufacturers that produce less than 250,000 barrels of beer a year from the Ohio Alcohol Franchise Law.
(more...)
News Possible Government & TTB Shutdown Could Impact Brewers
With Congress back in business after the summer recess, they now have until Sept. 30th to pass the 2024 fiscal year budget. Although Congress could enact a short-term budget to keep the government open until negotiations are complete, it is not a certainty, and brewers should prepare for a possible shutdown of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) non-essential services such as label approvals, formula approvals and brewers’ notices.
(more...)
News Wisconsin Bill to Overhaul Alcohol Regulations
Wisconsin legislators in the Assembly passed a sweeping bill that will overhaul the three-tier system in the state and give craft brewers additional privileges. The bipartisan bill passed the Assembly 90-4 and heads to the Senate where it is expected to pass.
(more...)
News Beer Institute Calls Out Liquor Companies in New Consumer Website
The Beer Institute has launched a new consumer-facing website StandWithBeer.org, which sheds a light on “how large liquor companies inflate their bottom line by exploiting loopholes in our tax code.” It is a unique push by an alcohol industry trade group to inform the consumer of legislative “advantages” afforded to another industry segment.
(more...)
News Pandemic-Era Laws Continue to Change the On-Premise Landscape
Illinois’ bars and restaurants can continue to sell to-go cocktails until 2024 after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into a law a three-year extension of the measure that was adopted during COVID-19. It is yet another pandemic-era allowance that has been extended or made permanent across the country, changing forever the landscape for how the alcohol business can respond to changing consumer habits induced by the pandemic.
(more...)
News Ireland Becomes First Country to Require Health Information on Alcohol Labels
Proposals to add additional warnings and health information on alcoholic beverages has long been discussed by policymakers in the US and other countries, but no action has ever been taken. Ireland has now just become the first country in the world to require all alcohol labels to list calorie content and health risk information for consumers.
(more...)
News Oregon Settles Lawsuit – Allows Out-of-State Breweries to Self-Distribute and Ship DTC
The state of Oregon and the Oregon Liquor & Cannabis Commission has quickly settled a lawsuit brought by Washington breweries. The settlement will allow out-of-state breweries to self-distribute and ship beer directly to consumers in Oregon, a big win for adjoining Washington craft brewers.
(more...)
News Washington Bill to Lower DUI Threshold Fizzles at the State Capitol
A bill in the Washington state legislature to lower the intoxicated driving threshold from the federal standard of 0.08 to 0.05 has failed to meet a critical committee hearing deadline meaning the bill will not be able to move forward this session.
(more...)
News Illinois and New Mexico Introduce Legislation Seeking DTC for Breweries
The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild has filed legislation seeking to legalize direct-to-customer shipping for craft breweries while in New Mexico similar legislation has also been introduced in the state legislature.
(more...)
News California Bill Would Allow Spirit-based RTD’s to be Sold Alongside Beer and Wine
A bill in California supported by the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUSS) would allow retailers with a beer and wine license to also sell spirit-based RTD’s, a move which would further blur the line that has traditionally existed between spirits and beer and wine.
(more...)
News Nevada Craft Brewers Makes Push for Self-Distribution Small Step
Posted by Tom McCormick | Leave a Comment
In the state of Nevada, where beer wholesalers have deep political connections, self-distribution for small brewers has always been a non-starter. But craft breweries in the state are making a push for a small step forward in a bill that would allow craft breweries to move beer that is brewed at one location to their own off-site taprooms or tasting rooms without having to first sell it to a distributor.
(more...)