In light of the progress being made by the growler bill (shhhhh, don’t jinx it!), it was only a matter of time before an inflammatory bill was introduced that would threaten Florida’s small breweries.
That strange and outlandish bill came via the office of Representative Ray Wesley Rodrigues of Fort Myers on Monday. To make more sense of this bill, our friend Ross of Komlossy Law in Hollywood, Florida has written a new blog discussing the few ups and the major downs of this new bill.
This bill will have a major impact on:
1. Tasting rooms, and a brewery’s ability to sell to the public.
2. A brewery’s ability to exist without a distributor.
3. A brewery’s ability to have guest taps.
4. A brewery’s ability to pour their own collaboration beers.
In short, this bill will have a major impact on many areas that have made Florida’s breweries what they are–collaborative spirit, helping to promote each other, and tasting rooms.
While existing breweries might be grandfathered in, Florida is on the verge of dozens of breweries trying to come into existence, and this bill would definitely impact them.
Please contact your state representative and senator and please urge him or her NOT TO SUPPORT House Bill 1329.
For more information, please see Ross’s blog, or research this bill.