Jeff, I’m not sure where you get that HB 2348 does anything other than add beer to the list of beverages that can be legally produced for personal use. I just looked at the Oklahoma government website and it shows that the bill was not amended. The document they show as being passed on to the Floor is: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10bills/HB/HB2348_hflr.rtf. The bill shows the existing code with additions to the code underlined (adds the word beer in a couple of places) and subtractions with strike-through text (the word “of”). Anything else in the bill text is the statute as it is currently written.
Rep. Schwartz did consider adding language that would mirror the Federal statute authorizing beer made for personal use that specifically allows for homebrew to be serve at events and competitions, but decide that leaving it as a parity issue (i.e. granting beer made for personal use the same exemption from taxation that wine and cider already enjoy) would make passage of the bill more likely.
For those of you in Alabama, keep up the pressure on the Senate Rules Committee to get a hearing for SB153! To see the Action Alert with the details on what to do, go to http://www.beertown.org/email/sylb/AL2_10_2010.htm.
Also in our sights: Oklahoma, Michigan (to allow homebrew to be served at events at breweries), and potentially Louisiana.
In Mississippi, homebrewers are already looking to start educating legislators on our craft in preparation for the 2011 legislative session. Now that’s dedication!
unfortunately, it’s hard to educate a tee-totaler that sees nothing but evil in any form of alcohol and would rather see it be completely abolished rather than expanded on.
The AHA sent out three Action Alerts this morning to members in Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan.
In Alabama, the bill to legalize homebrewing, SB 153, is to be heard by the Travel and Tourism Committee in the House this Wednesday. The bill has already passed the Senate. Alabama residents should check out the Alert at www.beertown.org/email/sylb/AL2_26_2010.htm for instructions on how they can help. Send the link to anyone you know if Alabama who will support the cause of legalizing homebrewing.
In Oklahoma, it’s looking like the homebrew legalization bill HB 2348 could be going to a vote before the Full House sometime this week at the earliest. See www.beertown.org/email/sylb/OK_2_26_2010.htm for the Alert we sent. If the bill passes the House, it will then move on to the Senate. Spread the word to anyone you know in Oklahoma.
In Michigan, HB 5613 has a public hearing scheduled before the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. The bill would allow for homebrew to be served at licensed breweries in the state for homebrew club meetings and homebrew competitions (it is currently illegal to serve homebrew at licensed breweries). In order for this bill to move forward, the LCC needs to be convinced to support it. Michigan residents can find instructions on what they can do to help at www.beertown.org/email/sylb/MI_2_26_2010.htm.
For those of you who live outside of those states, the best thing you can do to help is to spread the word to anyone you know in those states. It could actually be detrimental to these efforts to have non-residents calling legislators. So even if you are so inclined, it’s best not to make calls to legislators on issues in other states.
Thanks to all of the homebrewers in Alabama, Michigan and Oklahoma who have already done so much to move these bills forward, your efforts are paying off!
Gary–are you able to address in this forum the “wording” issues the LCC is having with the Michigan legislation as you alluded to in your email? I’m curious if there are particular sticking points or just a generalized lack of support from them as I’d like to focus on that in my contact to them. If this isn’t the best use of Forum space then is there clarification that can be emailed to the Michigan homebrewers?
Much thanks,
Gail
FYI… HB2348 to legalize homebrewing in Oklahoma passed the house this morning by a vote of 76 to 19. Now it’s headed to the senate where we’ve already found a favorable sponsor. As they say, “One down, one to go…!” Keeping fingers crossed while gripping ‘illicit’ pint of homebrew!
Louisiana is doing better than just a “potentially” ;).
I have a House sponsor for the bill and the support of the Beer League of Louisiana (wholesalers) and the ATC Commissioner. The bill to make homebrewing expressly legal (no wording for exemptions in current law), allow transport and tasting at organized events, and to allow serving homebrew at licensed establishments is currently being drafted. The only concern from the ATC is that allowing for entry fees into events where homebrew is served must be carefully worded to state that the homebrewers receive none of the funds. He also wants event permits for events where homebrew will be served so that they can be aware of it. Both are minor issues in my opinion and will require careful wording by the people who do that kind of thing. The bill should be drafted by the end of next week and filed shortly after that. I will keep everyone updated about when to contact your reps and the committee members who will be reviewing the bill. Let’s keep the momentum moving.
HB503 http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=684299 has been filed in Louisiana. La. residents should contact Rep. Cedric Richmond (504)242-4198 who is the chair of the Judiciary Commitee to let him know that we would like to see this bill read at the Committee’s earliest meeting, and that we support moving the bill on to a full floor vote.
The Oklahoma homebrew bill passed the Senate Business and Labor committee today. Next stop is the Senate floor for a vote before the full Senate. The current bill has been amended to clean up the language a bit, so if it does pass the Senate, it will still need to go back to the House for a vote on the amended version (the bill’s House sponsor is cool with the amendment, so that shouldn’t be a problem, so long as it’s not further amended before it passes the Senate).
The Oklahoma homebrew legalization bill will likely come up for Senate vote soon, maybe as early as tomorrow Fri 4/9 or early next week. OK residents, check out the AHA Action Alert at Take Action: Support Your Local Brewery - CraftBeer.com. Send it on to anyone you know in OK who would support this cause. Contacts from non-residents could be detrimental to the cause, so please leave this to OK residents.
Thanks to everyone who has contacted their legislators on this issue to date, your calls and emails helped get the bill through the House and Senate Business and Labor Committee.
A homebrew bill has been filed in Louisiana this year as well (homebrewing is not statutorily recognized in LA and is questionably legal there). The original version of the bill was fairly restrictive, but the bill’s sponsors are working to revise it to make it more favorable for homebrewers. I’ll pass along more on that as I know more.
Looks like the Alabama homebrew bill is dead for this year. Though it managed to pass the Senate this year (beyond most people’s expectations), the bill has not been brought up for a vote in the House Travel and Tourism Committee and is unlikely to be given a hearing at this point. Though it is very unlikely that homebrewing will be legalized in Alabama this year, much progress has been made in educating legislators about homebrewing, and I think there is a very good chance of passing a homebrew bill there next year.
The Okalahoma homebrew legalization bill, HB 2348, passed the Senate today 45 to 3! This is a huge step towards legalizing homebrewing in the state. The bill was slightly amended in Senate committee, simply to make the language conform to existing alcohol regulations, which means it does need to go back to the House for a vote on the amended version, but given that it has already passed the House, and the House sponsor approves of the amendments it is likely to pass the House again. (Though I’ve learned not to take anything for granted in the legislative process.)
For Oklahoma residence, now would be a good time to contact your representative and remind them to support HB 2348 when it comes up for a vote again in the House. You can find contact info for your district’s rep at http://www.capitolconnect.com/demoassoc1/legislatorsearch.aspx.
Looks like we may have a positive development in Louisiana as well. Representatives from some Louisiana homebrew clubs met with sponsors of a bill seeking to statutorily recognize homebrewing in Louisiana yesterday. Hopefully a bill that will be good for the state’s homebrewers will emerge. It seems to be moving in the right direction at the moment.
I’m very happy to hear that since I am in Oklahoma. In fact I’m drinking some homebrew right now to celebrate ;D . My thanks goes out to everyone who has worked to help get this law in motion, and keep it moving through all the legislative hoops.
The Oklahoma homebrew bill, HB 2348 is going back to House for final vote. The bill passed the Senate last week, but was amended in committee to clean up some of the language, so it must go back to the House for a vote on the amended version. The bill could come up for a House vote at any time now.
Once it passes the House, the Governor has 5 days to sign or veto the bill.
What is going on with that? I looked up pending bills in Michigan and couldn’t find any mention of it nor anything about lowering taxes per barrel for breweries, only a mention that the taxes have been the same since the 1960’s if I remember right.
The Oklahoma House passed the Senate-amended version of HB 2348 today, meaning the homebrew legalization bill has cleared the legislature. It now goes to the Governor to sign or veto. We’re now just one step away from legalizing homebrewing in Oklahoma!
