***Updated April, 27, 2014 9:00 pm to reflect proposed strike-all amendment to Senate Bill 1714 filed by bill sponsor, Senator Kelli Stargel. Updates reflected as struck-through and underlined text.*** This past week saw action on only two beverage bills, but the action was dramatic. With one week remaining in the 2014 Florida legislative session, the story becomes a tale...
Continue ReadingHappy Easter! With most legislators out of Tallahassee this past week, there was not much action on the beverage bills being consider by the Florida Legislature. That will change come Monday, when legislators return for the two-week sprint to the end of the 2014 session. The two Senate beverage bills showing signs of life–SB 470 and SB 1714–are both...
Continue ReadingThe stage is set for the home stretch of the Florida Legislature’s 2014 session. This upcoming week, legislators return home for an Easter-week break. When they return on April 21, it will be a two-week sprint to the finish on May 2, 2014. Will any of the beverage bills make it to the end? It’s looking doubtful. This week,...
Continue ReadingIt was a pretty quiet week for the beverage bills pending in the Florida Legislature–a little too quiet. With less than a month to go in the 2014 session and a week-long break beginning April 14, these beverage bills better get moving. We continue our recap of the action (and inaction) of the goings-on with the Florida beverage bills...
Continue ReadingBeverage industry bills pending in the Florida Legislature–specifically the beer bills–saw exciting action during the week of March 24. House and Senate committees heard impassioned testimony from Florida brewers. Three beer bills were unanimously passed out of committee, but in each case the passed bill differed from the original version, the result of late-filed amendments. It’s getting hard to...
Continue ReadingThe Florida Legislature is considering a pair of bills aimed at Florida’s wine and spirits importers. House Bill 1201 and Senate Bill 1552 are mirror images of one another. If passed, the bills would make technical corrections surrounding the “American source of supply” designation and would prohibit alteration of imported bottles of wine or spirits.
Continue ReadingAs of March 22, 2014, a total of 11 beverage industry bills are up for consideration in the Florida Legislature. All but a handful of those bills are focused on dramatically reshaping the operation of Florida’s breweries. To help beverage industry players and enthusiasts track the activity in Tallahassee, we bring you our weekly legislative update. Committee Approves New...
Continue ReadingIn House Bill 7075, the Florida House of Representative’s Business & Professional Regulation Subcommittee introduced a set of rules intended to clarify how Florida breweries get beer in their hands of consumers. The bill answers persistent questions about taprooms, brewpubs, beer tastings, and growlers. Two Kinds of Taprooms Permitted House Bill 7075 divides brewery taprooms into two categories: unlicensed taprooms...
Continue ReadingOn the eve of the 2014 Florida Legislative session, Representative Ray Rodriguez introduced House Bill 1329, which proposes big changes for the operation of Florida breweries. The stated purpose of HB 1329 is to authorize a “very limited exception to the three-tier system” by allowing breweries to sell their beer in growlers. While the bill does authorize growlers (in two...
Continue ReadingManufacturers and bottlers of wine in Florida are regulated by the State of Florida and the federal government. This post discusses the state-level licensing of wineries in Florida. Are you interested in opening a brewery instead? What license is required to make wine in Florida? The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) is authorized to issue two...
Continue Reading