Alabama Homebrew Legalization - Page 9

DocBrown · 04-02-2010, 02:51 PM

Unfortunately the homebrew bill is still stuck in committee. It seems that when politicians are involved, you have to deal with politics. The word from our sponsor is that the bill is dead for this legislative session due to unexpected political realities. Our sponsor is trying to set up a meeting after the legislative session among the various groups with some vested interests in the bill. Hopefully we can get all the concerns ironed out and get a running start for next year.

brewagentjay · 04-02-2010, 02:53 PM

Seems like Alabama is doomed until they can get rid of all the old politics and get some new fresh people in power. To much old stupid politics on this one. I sure would like to be legal and I sure would like to get started on my brew pub business plan but until that new Brew Mod Act passes I really don't want to even start the process.

brewagentjay · 04-02-2010, 02:54 PM

So if both of these are dead looks like I'll be just focusing on Brew Master School & Certification this year.

FreeM80s · 04-02-2010, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBrown

Unfortunately the homebrew bill is still stuck in committee. It seems that when politicians are involved, you have to deal with politics. The word from our sponsor is that the bill is dead for this legislative session due to unexpected political realities. Our sponsor is trying to set up a meeting after the legislative session among the various groups with some vested interests in the bill. Hopefully we can get all the concerns ironed out and get a running start for next year.

just the homebrew bill or the brewerymod bill too?

DocBrown · 04-02-2010, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeM80s

just the homebrew bill or the brewerymod bill too?

My focus has been the homebrew bill, so I'm less sure of the future of the brewery bill this session. From what I understand, separate versions of the brewery bill passed committees in both the house and senate but haven't been voted on in either place. It was placed on the calendar to come up for a vote in the senate (which is usually the roadblock for a lot of legislation because Alabama law allows for as few as two senators to sustain a filibuster) but between the bingo bill and the healthcare opt-out bill, not much is happening. They still have to take care of the state budget, which will probably eat up most of the remaining days on the legislative calendar. After that, they'll probably try to get as many "non controversial" bill through as possible. While anything could happen, I'd say the chances of the brewery bill getting through this year are pretty slim as well.

Also, just to clarify, Free the Hops is pushing the brewery bill while the various homebrew clubs in Alabama are running with the homebrew bill independent of FTH. While FTH endorses and favors the passage of the homebrew bill, their focus is on the commercial aspects of beer in Alabama, so they're not directly involved with our bill.

brewagentjay · 04-02-2010, 05:35 PM

I want them all to pass. I want a free Bama where I can brew my beer, open my pub, and enjoy all the freedoms that many other states have......

FreeM80s · 04-02-2010, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewagentjay

I want them all to pass. I want a free Bama where I can brew my beer, open my pub, and enjoy all the freedoms that many other states have......

you and me both man

brewagentjay · 04-02-2010, 06:49 PM

So that being said, what can we do to perhaps give these bills a shot? I don't mind calling, emailing, faxing, what ever.....

DocBrown · 04-02-2010, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewagentjay

I want them all to pass. I want a free Bama where I can brew my beer, open my pub, and enjoy all the freedoms that many other states have......

Ditto! I think all of us are cheering for both bills. All I meant was that I'm directly involved in the push on the homebrewing bill, since I'm more worried about getting rid of my felon status in Alabama than I am about having more breweries and brewpubs in the state (though I'm really looking forward to that too!). Oh, and in case you guys weren't aware, homebrewing is actually a felony in this state!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewagentjay

So that being said, what can we do to perhaps give these bills a shot? I don't mind calling, emailing, faxing, what ever.....

I don't think we can do anything else right now to push the homebrew bill. Some of the other beer industry groups want to meet with the homebrewers to work out some details before the bill goes any further. Unfortunately, I don't think that meeting will take place until after the legislative session is over. As for the brewery bill, I'm not sure what can be done. The FTH people usually send out a message if there is anything we can do. I think right now it's just a waiting game until the senate unclogs a bit.

DocBrown · 04-02-2010, 09:29 PM

Actually, it looks like there's still a chance for the BMA. From FTH:

Quote:

Just got double confirmation that the Brewery Modernization Act is on the draft Special Order Calendar in the House Thursday.

Sullivan is also telling us that we'll be up in the Senate [probably] Thursday. I know, I know - the Senate. I can't even tell you we're on the SOC draft because there isn't an SOC draft. The SOC just magically appears 5 minutes before it's voted on. But, we've already made it to the agenda AND the Senate this week cleared up some of their baggage. There was a vote on the healthcare opt out bill (it passed if you care) and the bingo bill (it passed too).

So.... is that a guarantee? I'm smarter than that, but I've got a good feeling about this. I'm very confident that, at worst, at least one of those votes will go through.

So... here's your link. It's phone bomb time.