Alabama Homebrew Legalization

[brewagentjay]

Does anyone know the status of SB 153 or is it HB 153 not sure but I know it's 153 bill to legalize Home Brew in Alabama?

:rockin:

 

[Grimster]

We finally repeal the stupid 6% law but still have to fight the "homebrewing is technically illegal" crap? I love 'bama but damn can we be some backwards hillbillies sometimes.

 

[brewagentjay]

We finally repeal the stupid 6% law but still have to fight the "homebrewing is technically illegal" crap? I love 'bama but damn can we be some backwards hillbillies sometimes.

:rockin::rockin: on the 13.5% we got now I have been enjoying some nice beers but since ABC still requires stores to use Alabama ABC distributors we are still be regulated down to 10%.

 

[brewagentjay]

We got any news on SB 153..................???????Sure would be nice if I was doing something legal.

 

[Myrdhyn]

Our Senate flavor of the Brewery Modernization Act, SB328, passed out of the Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee quietly yesterday. It will likely be re-introduced to the full Senate tomorrow.

Also of interest, SB153, the Homebrew Legalization bill, passed out of the same committee and received its second reading in the Senate.

That's the last word I've seen on it, thats from freethehops.org on February 10th.

Also, good to see our brewpub bill is moving along.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Good news!

 

[DocBrown]

Here's the basic status: SB153 is out of committee and needs to be brought to the senate floor for a vote. The rules committee gets to decide which bills are put on the "Special Order Calendar" each day.

One part of the problem is that the state level government in Alabama is controlled by Democrats, and this bill is sponsored by the Republicans who are far less likely to get their bills brought to the floor. On the other hand, the teetotalers that would be most likely to filibuster this bill are primarily Republican (who tend to be less likely to filibuster bills sponsored by people in the same party), so having it sponsored by Republicans means its far more likely to be passed once it finally gets brought up for a vote.

The second problem is due to the superior level of effort put forth by the state senators in Alabama. They actually manage to meet 3 days each week (Tuesday-Thursday) during the legislative session. On each of those days they actually manage to work an average of 1-2 hours! Today we actually had a really long session that went just over 3 hours.

The third concern (it's not a problem yet but may be next week) is that the Democrats have a bingo and gambling bill ready to be brought to the floor. When it comes up, the senate is likely to pretty well dissolve into filibusters (it only takes 2 senators to filibuster a bill in the Alabama senate) and various delaying actions. The worry is that that bill will be introduced next Tuesday. If it is, we likely won't see any action on the homebrew bill for quite a while.

We do have sponsors in the house, but they wanted to try to start the bill in the senate because that's where the primary roadblocks are. If you're in Alabama, you can certainly help. We need people to call the 13 members of the rules committee and ask them to put SB153 on the special order calendar and bring it to the floor for a vote. The members of the rules committee can be found here, along with a list of talking points about this bill:
http://www.auburnbrewclub.org/off-menu/2010-senate-rules-committee-members/

 

[FreeM80s]

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/b52x0/dear_reddit_please_help_alabama_reform_our_beer/
that link has all the info. Anyone who loves to homebrew should want to help the folks who also love it but have to do it illegally


[edit]

Republicans and Holy-roller Church goers are trying to stop a law that will legalize the home-brewing of beer in the state of Alabama. There are currently 7 states where it is illegal and the only reason it is not legal in Alabama is because our alcohol laws date back to prohibition. We are trying to change this, but I read this morning:

A huge, controversial bill will take over the Alabama Senate's agenda this week, and if our bill does not get in front of it, it may very well be dead for the year. If you agree that Homebrewing should be legalized, make another call to Sen. Barron at 334-242-7858, and say "Please place SB153 to legalize... Home Brewing on the Special Order Calendar Tuesday." Your voice helps!

Please call that number, and leave this message with the very nice lady who answers "please place SB153 on the special order calander tuesday" She will ask where you are calling from, here is a short list of some of our major cities: Athens Arab Birmingham Decatur Hartsel Huntsville Madison Montgomery Mobile

Use any of these and THATS IT. Please help guys./[edit]
Just thought the link was unnecessary

 

[FreeM80s]

A huge, controversial bill will take over the Alabama Senate's agenda this week, and if our bill does not get in front of it, it may very well be dead for the year. If you agree that Homebrewing should be legalized, make another call to Sen. Barron at 334-242-7858, and say "Please place SB153 to legalize... Home Brewin...g on the Special Order Calendar Tuesday." Your voice helps!


CALL THIS NUMBER! WE NEED TO GET THIS ON THE CALENDAR!

 

[FreeM80s]

bump. even if you dont care about home brewing in alabama please help us out so we dont have to do this all moonshine bootlegger style

 

[Beernik]

You can try this argument: homebrewing is even legal in Utah.

Good luck.

 

[DocBrown]

The bill came up for a vote in the senate a few minutes ago. It failed by a margin of 7-13 (with about 15 abstentions). Still waiting on the final roll call to see where the opposition came from. Some of it was certainly the teetotaler Republicans, but I think there was Democratic opposition as well to get that many nay votes.

 

[DocBrown]

Ok. I just got a hold of the roll call of the voting. Keep in mind this was a Republican-sponsored bill. Republicans voted against it by a margin of 3-8 with 3 abstentions. Democrats pretty much just stayed away from the bill. They voted 4-5 with 12 abstentions. Not a good day for Alabama homebrewers.

 

[Skacorica]

My God, what kind of republicans do you have there? Thats embarrassing (as a republican). Course yours are probably the strict-baptist types vs the South Park Catholic types that we tend to be around here

 

[DocBrown]

My God, what kind of republicans do you have there? Thats embarrassing (as a republican). Course yours are probably the strict-baptist types vs the South Park Catholic types that we tend to be around here

Pretty much. We have at least a few down here that honestly believe the prohibition was a good thing and should be brought back.

 

[Halldawg]

Come on to the good side of the River here in Columbus!

 

[431brew]

This says it was approved by the Senate:
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/02/alabama_senate_approves_person.html

 

[HBRunner]

Yep, that is what they are saying on the Free The hops website....They amended the original bill to the following:

(c) Not more than 20 gallons of beer, mead, cider, or wine produced under this
section may be removed from the premises where it was produced
and may be transported for personal and noncommercial uses,

but hey it's a start...!

 

[brewagentjay]

So the what does it mean for how much can be produced? Can we get a link to full listing of bill that was approved?

 

[v2comp]

20 gallons per homebrewer.......I think that will do, (4) 5 gallon kegs each. thats plenty if you know how to pass it around,.....lol
man, this has taken a long time and a lot of calls. but now I know it can happen for just regular people without using a 30k a year lobbyist......

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senate.html

go there and type sb153 in search instruments and then view, it will take you to the bill and show you the recorded votes


but it follows the Federal statute of 200 gallons per household if there are 2 or more adults living there and 100 gallons if you live alone.

 

[431brew]

Yep, that is what they are saying on the Free The hops website....They amended the original bill to the following:

(c) Not more than 20 gallons of beer, mead, cider, or wine produced under this
section may be removed from the premises where it was produced
and may be transported for personal and noncommercial uses,

but hey it's a start...!

I didn't see anything on the Free the Hops site, so turned to al.com. Yep, it is definitely a start!

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

Congratulations!

20gal seems like a lot to me.

 

[Gnome]

Just shut the garage door and brew what you want.

 

[431brew]

Just shut the garage door and brew what you want.

That's what we've been doing! I always wondered what my neighbor thought about my last boil-over that made it down the drive. He probably thought I was pissing until he realized that steam does not rise off piss in the summer time.

 

[brewagentjay]

20 gallons per homebrewer.......I think that will do, (4) 5 gallon kegs each. thats plenty if you know how to pass it around,.....lol
man, this has taken a long time and a lot of calls. but now I know it can happen for just regular people without using a 30k a year lobbyist......

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/senate/senate.html

go there and type sb153 in search instruments and then view, it will take you to the bill and show you the recorded votes


but it follows the Federal statute of 200 gallons per household if there are 2 or more adults living there and 100 gallons if you live alone.

So I can't find the Bill in full that was passed, but I read that I can brew 100 to 200 gallons a year but only transport 20 gallons for personal use...Right?

 

[v2comp]

So I can't find the Bill in full that was passed, but I read that I can brew 100 to 200 gallons a year but only transport 20 gallons for personal use...Right?

1 SB153
2 115176-2
3 By Senator Dixon
4 RFD: Tourism and Marketing
5 First Read: 12-JAN-10
Page 0
1 SB153
2
3
4 ENGROSSED
5
6
7 A BILL
8 TO BE ENTITLED
9 AN ACT
10
11 To permit the production of homebrewed beer, mead,
12 cider, and wine for personal use.
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
14 Section 1. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the
15 contrary, a person who is not prohibited by Section 28-1-5,
16 Code of Alabama 1975, from purchasing, consuming, possessing,
17 or transporting alcoholic beverages due to age may produce
18 beer, mead, cider, and wine for personal and noncommercial
19 uses, in the amounts specified in this section, without
20 payment of taxes or fees and without obtaining a license. The
21 aggregate amount of the beer, mead, cider, and wine permitted
22 to be produced under this section, with respect to any
23 household, shall not exceed the aggregate amounts specified in
24 26 U.S.C §5053(e).
25 (b) Beer, mead, cider, or wine produced under this
26 section may not be sold or offered for sale.
Page 1
1 (c) Not more than 20 gallons of beer, mead, cider,
2 or wine produced under this section may be removed from the
3 premises where it was produced and may be transported for
4 personal and noncommercial uses, including use at organized
5 events, such as homebrewing competitions, tastings, judgings,
6 and craft exhibitions. Organized events involving beer, mead,
7 cider, or wine produced for personal use may be held on the
8 premises of entities licensed under Title 28, Code of Alabama
9 1975, without violating the terms or conditions of licensure.
10 (d) Nothing in this section permits the production
11 of distilled liquors, such as bourbon, whiskey, rum, or vodka,
12 for personal use or otherwise.
13 (e) Nothing in this section permits a person less
14 than 21 years of age to purchase, consume, possess, or
15 transport beer, mead, cider, or wine produced for personal
16 use.
17 (f) Nothing in this section permits the production
18 of beer, mead, cider, and wine in a dry municipality, as the
19 term is defined in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama
20 1975, and, with the exception of wet municipalities, as the
21 term is defined in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama
22 1975, nothing in this section permits the production of beer,
23 mead, cider, and wine in a dry county, as the term is defined
24 in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama 1975.
25 Section 2. This act shall become effective
26 immediately following its passage and approval by the
27 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
Page 2
Page 3
1
2
3 Senate
4 Read for the first time and referred to the Senate
5 committee on Tourism and Marketing ............... 12-JAN-10
6
7 Read for the second time and placed on the calen8
dar .............................................. 09-FEB-10
9
10 Read for the third time and passed as amended ...
11 Yeas 13
12 Nays 6
13 Abstaining 1
14
15
16 McDowell Lee
17 Secretary
18
Page

 

[DocBrown]

So I can't find the Bill in full that was passed, but I read that I can brew 100 to 200 gallons a year but only transport 20 gallons for personal use...Right?

That's exactly right. After the initial vote, all of us that were listening to the audio turned it off in annoyance and started thinking about what bar to head to tonight to drown our frustrations. It turns out our Senate sponsor went around and tried to alleviate concerns about this bill and came up with a reasonable amendment to make people happy. The amount you're allowed to brew is specified by the federal law. The 20gallon limit is on what you're allowed to transport off the premises at which you brew. Here's the full text:

1 SB153
2
3
4 ENGROSSED
5
6
7 A BILL
8 TO BE ENTITLED
9 AN ACT
10
11 To permit the production of homebrewed beer, mead,
12 cider, and wine for personal use.
13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
14 Section 1. (a) Notwithstanding any provisions to the
15 contrary, a person who is not prohibited by Section 28-1-5,
16 Code of Alabama 1975, from purchasing, consuming, possessing,
17 or transporting alcoholic beverages due to age may produce
18 beer, mead, cider, and wine for personal and noncommercial
19 uses, in the amounts specified in this section, without
20 payment of taxes or fees and without obtaining a license. The
21 aggregate amount of the beer, mead, cider, and wine permitted
22 to be produced under this section, with respect to any
23 household, shall not exceed the aggregate amounts specified in
24 26 U.S.C §5053(e).
25 (b) Beer, mead, cider, or wine produced under this
26 section may not be sold or offered for sale.
Page 1

1 (c) Not more than 20 gallons of beer, mead, cider,
2 or wine produced under this section may be removed from the
3 premises where it was produced and may be transported for
4 personal and noncommercial uses, including use at organized
5 events, such as homebrewing competitions, tastings, judgings,
6 and craft exhibitions. Organized events involving beer, mead,
7 cider, or wine produced for personal use may be held on the
8 premises of entities licensed under Title 28, Code of Alabama
9 1975, without violating the terms or conditions of licensure.
10 (d) Nothing in this section permits the production
11 of distilled liquors, such as bourbon, whiskey, rum, or vodka,
12 for personal use or otherwise.
13 (e) Nothing in this section permits a person less
14 than 21 years of age to purchase, consume, possess, or
15 transport beer, mead, cider, or wine produced for personal
16 use.
17 (f) Nothing in this section permits the production
18 of beer, mead, cider, and wine in a dry municipality, as the
19 term is defined in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama
20 1975, and, with the exception of wet municipalities, as the
21 term is defined in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama
22 1975, nothing in this section permits the production of beer,
23 mead, cider, and wine in a dry county, as the term is defined
24 in Chapter 2A of Title 28, Code of Alabama 1975.
25 Section 2. This act shall become effective
26 immediately following its passage and approval by the
27 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

 

[v2comp]

So I can't find the Bill in full that was passed, but I read that I can brew 100 to 200 gallons a year but only transport 20 gallons for personal use...Right?

oh, and yes on the quantity issue. 20 gallons can be transported, 100 gallons can be brewed per year if you live alone in your household and 200 gallons if you have at least one other adult (over 18) living in your house.

 

[brewagentjay]

:rockin::cross:

Awesome. I'm happy tonight and I got to do two SG readings so two nice 6 oz samples coming my way on top of this news.

H$ll Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!

So we all need to have a party only bring less than 20 gallons each to celebrate. I don't have 20 gallons ready to go yet so I'm good on staying under that limit.

200 Gallons a year I think I can do that. If I brew twice a month that's only 120 gallons unless I step up to a 10gallon brew some time.:rockin:

Now the challenge will be to meet that limit. :rockin:

 

[twohands]

*sniffle* - I'm no longer a crook...there goes my street cred...



FINALLY!!!! :rockin:

So we need to plan a party where we all bring less than the allotted 20 gallons to celebrate.