Florida Beverage Legislation: 2019 Post-Session Review of Beverage Bills

Zero out of 9. All 2019 Florida beverage bills fell flat.

Nine beverage-focused bills were introduced at the start of the 2019 Florida legislative session. All nine died in committee (or didn’t even get that far). Despite the possibility of some sweeping changes, especially for Florida breweries and distilleries, the Florida Beverage Laws will remain unchanged this year.

For a recap of what might have been, and to count the casualties, see the following chart.

Bill #

Sponsor

Similar Bills

Summary

Status

SB 220

Brandes

HB
907

·
Eliminates container size restrictions for wine
and cider

·
Eliminates “full course” requirement
for taking home unconsumed wine

·
Expands definition of “craft
distillery” to 250,000 gallons per year

·
Allows craft distilleries to sell up to 75,000
gallons in gift shop without per customer restriction

Last
Action: 5/3/2019 S Died in Innovation, Industry, and Technology

SB 672

Rader

HB
853

·
Florida Beverage Container Deposit Act

·
Requires dealers and consumers to pay a deposit
fee for specific beverage containers, including alcoholic beverage cans,
glasses, and kegs

·
Authorizes deposit refunds to be paid by the
vendor or redemption centers that are registered with the Florida Department
of Revenue

Last
Action: 5/3/2019 S Died in Environment and Natural Resources

SB 894

Stargel

HB
6037

·
Repeals Florida Statutes Section 564.05,
relating to the limitations of the size of individual wine containers

Last
Action: 5/3/2019 S Died in Innovation, Industry, and Technology

SB 1304

Mayfield

HB
903

·
Authorizes a brewery to transfer to its
licensed facility certain malt beverages that are brewed by another
manufacturer

·
Authorizes a brewery to terminate a contract
with a distributor under certain circumstances.

·
Revises requirements relating to distributors’
warehouse inventory and sales

·
Provides an exception to the come-to-rest
requirement for certain deliveries made by specified manufacturers

·
Deletes a prohibition on manufacturers with a
vendor’s license making certain deliveries, etc.

Last
Action: 5/3/2019 S Died in Innovation, Industry, and Technology

HB 853

Stark

SB
672

·
Florida Beverage Container Deposit Act

·
Requires dealers and consumers to pay a deposit
fee for specific beverage containers, including alcoholic beverage cans,
glasses, and kegs

·
Authorizes deposit refunds to be paid by the
vendor or redemption centers that are registered with the Florida Department
of Revenue

Last Action: 5/3/2019 House – Died in Agriculture and
Natural Resources Subcommittee

HB 903

Toledo

SB
1304

·
Authorizes a brewery to transfer to its
licensed facility certain malt beverages that are brewed by another
manufacturer

·
Authorizes a brewery to terminate a contract
with a distributor under certain circumstances.

·
Revises requirements relating to distributors’
warehouse inventory and sales

·
Provides an exception to the come-to-rest
requirement for certain deliveries made by specified manufacturers

·
Deletes a prohibition on manufacturers with a
vendor’s license making certain deliveries, etc.

Last Action: 5/3/2019 House – Died in Commerce
Committee

HB 1219

Sabatini

·
Authorizes licensed vendor of alcoholic
beverages to allow dogs in certain designated areas on their licensed
premises

·
Authorizes malt beverages to be packaged in 2 liter containers

·
Repeals provisions relating to limitations on
size of individual wine containers

·
Eliminates container size restrictions for wine
and cider

·
Eliminates “full course” requirement
for taking home unconsumed wine

·
Expands definition of “craft
distillery” to 250,000 gallons per year

·
Allows craft distilleries to sell up to 75,000
gallons in gift shop without per customer restriction

Last Action: 5/3/2019 Senate – Died in Innovation,
Industry, and Technology

HB 1229

Raschein

·
Authorizes a craft distillery to hold multiple
vendor’s licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages

·
Permits craft distilleries to conduct tastings
and sell distilled spirits at fairs, trade shows, and festivals

·
Authorizes certain craft distilleries to
transfer distilled spirits to its vendor’s licensed premises, to be licensed
as distributor, to conduct spirituous beverage tastings at specified licensed
premises

Last Action: 5/3/2019 House – Died on Calendar

HB 6037

Stark

SB
894

·
Repeals Florida Statutes Section 564.05,
relating to the limitations of the size of individual wine containers

Last Action: 5/3/2019 Senate – Died in Innovation,
Industry, and Technology

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