Alabama Homebrew Legislation 2013

[aubiecat]

Just noticed that the sponsor of the Homebrewing Legalization Bill, Mac McCutcheon, was named Rules Committee Chairman. The Rules Committee selects the bills that the House Chamber can debate each day. Needless to say, this development is very good news for us!
Session starts Feb. 5

 

[homebrewdad]

I wish I could vote for him. He is one of the best politicians in the state of Alabama.
My rep. voted against the homebrew bill the last two years. I wrote him and let him know he lost my vote for casting his lot with people that think I am a bootlegger and a criminal.

I took my rep to task over it, as well. He did reply, but in a very "politician" way, as follows:

Mr. Suddeth,

Thanks for your e-mail.

I voted against this bill last year in committee and on the floor.

I voted against it this year, in committee, and on the floor.

I will never vote to expand the creation of alcohol or to encourage the consumption of alcohol.

However, I will never vote to keep you or any other citizen from having the right to have your voice heard by the people through a referendum on the creation or consumption of alcohol.

This was not a referendum bill.

I do not drink alcohol.

I do not condemn people who drink alcohol. The legal consumption of alcohol is a personal choice.

Please let me know if you would like to discuss this issue with me further.

JHM

John H. Merrill
State House 62
(205) xxx-xxxx - Cell

The nonsense about not preventing a referendum was a silly political smokescreen, and I resent it.

I also resent the bit about legal use of alcohol being a choice... hello, the homebrew bill is about repealing an antiquiated law so that I have the opportunity to legally produce and consume alcohol. Telling me that you have nothing against legal use, but that you will vote no on any alcohol bills, means that you consider me to be a criminal and want to keep it that way.

Needless to say, I vote against Mr Merrill.

 

[tx_shooter]

I just sent the info to all my family around Dothan. Maybe someday they can brew their own beer.

 

[MVKTR2]

One of my greatest personal moral battles is not drinking too much nor too often, it is the challenge of NOT hating politicians, almost the whole lot about 99.9%! I won't travel further down that rabbit hole.

That's unfortunate as well. Since I never hear anything about Mississippi and homebrewing I assume they're much further out from legalizing it.

MS has had bills die where common sense always goes to die, in legislative committee since 2007 or 2008. Yet given the passage of the abv bill last year and it's path traveled through the tourism committee in the house, there is renewed hope this year as it is THE main focus of legislative efforts for Raise Your Pints and is finally and thankfully assigned to the tourism committee. Who knows... who cares... I don't ask government for permission to exercise my natural rights. When liberty is outlawed, only outlaws will have liberty.

Would anyone like to hear about the 'baggy pants ban' voted into effect in my county seat?

 

[dfc]

One of my greatest personal moral battles is not drinking too much nor too often, it is the challenge of NOT hating politicians, almost the whole lot about 99.9%! I won't travel further down that rabbit hole.



MS has had bills die where common sense always goes to die, in legislative committee since 2007 or 2008. Yet given the passage of the abv bill last year and it's path traveled through the tourism committee in the house, there is renewed hope this year as it is THE main focus of legislative efforts for Raise Your Pints and is finally and thankfully assigned to the tourism committee. Who knows... who cares... I don't ask government for permission to exercise my natural rights. When liberty is outlawed, only outlaws will have liberty.

Would anyone like to hear about the 'baggy pants ban' voted into effect in my county seat?

Haha, wow.

 

[Huff360]

Would anyone like to hear about the 'baggy pants ban' voted into effect in my county seat?

Our well known "What's Wrong with the beer we got?" representative passed his own version here last session!!

http://www.waka.com/news/montgomery...Bill-Passes-Alabama-House-59-0-139465303.html

 

[Pappers_]

Organize against his extremist views, make him pay for them politically and others will fall. That's a fundamental rule of political organizing. Your vote is important but it will take sustained organizing to unseat these radicals and punish them.

I took my rep to task over it, as well. He did reply, but in a very "politician" way, as follows:




The nonsense about not preventing a referendum was a silly political smokescreen, and I resent it.

I also resent the bit about legal use of alcohol being a choice... hello, the homebrew bill is about repealing an antiquiated law so that I have the opportunity to legally produce and consume alcohol. Telling me that you have nothing against legal use, but that you will vote no on any alcohol bills, means that you consider me to be a criminal and want to keep it that way.

Needless to say, I vote against Mr Merrill.

 

[BarefootFriar]

I emailed both my senator and my representative over this a couple weeks ago. My representative did not reply. My senator did reply, saying that the bill had died on the floor of the senate in the last session.

EDIT: Deleted the next part because, on further reflection, it wasn't terribly intelligent.

 

[Huff360]

We have had several news outlets run a story on HB9 recently:

http://whnt.com/2013/01/20/homebrewbill/
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/01/new_bill_could_allow_homebrewi.html

 

[aubiecat]

We have had several news outlets run a story on HB9 recently:

http://whnt.com/2013/01/20/homebrewbill/
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/01/new_bill_could_allow_homebrewi.html

Good publicity. The interview with Mac was money.

 

[DrakeSuperbus]

I'm assuming that many of the representatives who vote against the bill are republicans. If my republican representative voted against a bill that would legalize homebrewing, I would ask him why he is promoting government regulations which stifle job creation (opening homebrew shops), when the official platform of the republican party says the following:

"While small businesses have significantly contributed to the nation’s economic growth, our government has failed to meet its small business goals year after year and failed to overcome burdensome regulatory, contracting, and capital barriers."

 

[Huff360]

We have also stirred up the #1 opponent of the Bill. ALCAP released their first Alert addressing HB9 today.

For anyone who does not know, ALCAP is the self titled Moral Compass of Alabama. They claim to know what is best for everyone in the state. If you are a church going person, please take a moment to speak with your church leaders about responsible use of alcohol and the personal rights and liberties you should be afforded. Also remind them that the muscadine wine that Grandma has made for the last 50 years would land her in jail right now.

If you are interested, here is the latest ALCAP alert:

2013 Alabama Legislative Session - Your Help is Needed

The only hope we have of stopping two very important "pro-alcohol" bills that will likely be introduced in the 2013 Alabama State Legislative Session is for church members to contact their House Members and State Senators and ask them to oppose these bills. The first bill is a bill that will privatize the sale of alcoholic beverages in Alabama and do away with the ABC Stores. The argument is that "Alabama needs to get out of the liquor business," but ALCAP's position is that Alabama is not in the liquor business, we are in the control business. Go to the "Links" page at www.alcap.com to find reasons and resources for opposing privatization of liquor sales.

The second "pro-alcohol" bill that has already been pre-filed is a House bill (HB9), introduced by Rep. Mac McCutcheon (R-Capshaw). This bill, if passed, will legalize home-brewing of beer and mead (click here for a news report on this bill). A similar bill passed the House last year, but died in the Senate as time ran out on the legislative calendar. The home-brewers have been calling legislators in large numbers, pushing for passage of this bill, while the churches have remained relatively silent. If we have any hope of stopping this bill, pastors and church members must let their voices be heard by the legislators.

ALCAP opposes home-brewing on the basis that there will be no way to police the private production of alcoholic beverages in one's private residence. Alcohol is a mind-altering and addictive drug that destroys lives and families. There is no good reason to allow individuals to legally produce this dangerous drug in the privacy of their own homes.

Please take time to contact your House member and State Senator and ask him/her to oppose both the liquor privatization bill and the home-brew bill when each comes up for a vote. We need to flood the offices of State Legislators with our opinions on these issues. Be courteous and respectful, but let them know what you think. To find the name and contact information for your legislators, go to www.alcap.com and follow the appropriate links.

 

[Huff360]

I'm assuming that many of the representatives who vote against the bill are republicans. If my republican representative voted against a bill that would legalize homebrewing, I would ask him why he is promoting government regulations which stifle job creation (opening homebrew shops), when the official platform of the republican party says the following:

"While small businesses have significantly contributed to the nation’s economic growth, our government has failed to meet its small business goals year after year and failed to overcome burdensome regulatory, contracting, and capital barriers."

We passed the House last year with a 44-33 margin. I can't find the tally we pulled together on who was for and who was against right off hand, I'll have to dig for it some more.

I can say that the bulk of the NAY votes were from neo-prohibitionists who feel that Alcohol in and of itself is a sin, not the choice to over-indulge and act irresponsibly.

There are also a few representatives who are from districts where alcohol is rarely treated with the respect it has to be treated with. They vote NAY because it is in the best interest of their district to do as much as possible to keep alcohol away.

 

[MVKTR2]

Where do I start and where do I stop in a thread with alving 'the chump' holmes, baggy pants bans, 'the church', 'Alabama is in the control business (no crap Sherlock, it's how the state/government exist via violence, coercion, and control), constituents vs politicians, political will, and more?

Just a note if for example the constituents want something that is clearly outside of the governing rules such as a constitution in a representative republic the representative is under NO obligation to aquiesse. (I know not the point of a prior poster/not picking a fight) Wanted to make the larger and far more important point that not only is the best government that which governs least, but that decisions based upon a philosophy of liberty in conjunction with a historical and modern understanding of governing documents are FAR superior to anything else mankind's wisdom has to offer! Don't make me quote Lysander Spooner's letter to Grover Cleveland up in here!:fro:

We have also stirred up the #1 opponent of the Bill. ALCAP released their first Alert addressing HB9 today.

For anyone who does not know, ALCAP is the self titled Moral Compass of Alabama. They claim to know what is best for everyone in the state. If you are a church going person, please take a moment to speak with your church leaders about responsible use of alcohol and the personal rights and liberties you should be afforded. Also remind them that the muscadine wine that Grandma has made for the last 50 years would land her in jail right now.

If you are interested, here is the latest ALCAP alert:

As for ALCAP, thank God, yes the God of Abraham, Isaac, & Moses they are AL and not MS-cap. However we have a little thing called AFA or American Family Association, the very southern baptist oriented group out of Tupelo that brought the nation the 7-naughty words rule for the FCC and more boycotts than the civil rights movement, along with countless other absurdities!

The 'genius' senator/politician in MS didn't let the beer bills out of committee year before last and I quote, 'because I don't want our members to have to vote on alcohol bills in an election year.' I feel truly sorry for anyone whom sees elected officials as their or societies' 'leader', sadly I figure that covers a vast majority of US society.

Signed a bible believing minister of God in a major mainline denomination whom believes God grants freewill to humankind to both his betterment and destruction. (after all if God granted such liberty governments are wrong to restrict it) Of course a failure to see this perspective is one of the issues driving the moral busy body denominations (modern puritans) to impose their vision upon the rest of us as if they're the ordained governance and voice of God to society, never understanding how their stubbornness pushes more people away from truth than it attracts.... okay I've said to much, but it's true!

 

[MVKTR2]

There are also a few representatives who are from districts where alcohol is rarely treated with the respect it has to be treated with. They vote NAY because it is in the best interest of their district to do as much as possible to keep alcohol away.

You make a VERY fair point here. My denominations' traditions trace their roots to John Wesley and the Church of England. Wesley was staunchly anti-alcohol, but had quite the good reason to be. Roughly during his time of ministry in England not only was a society on the brink of bloody civil disturbances and probable civil war, but for ever 7 citizens in the city of London there was 1 gin shop. Alcoholism was amazingly rampant playing no small role in ripping that society from it's foundations.

However in our modern perspective, softened with time, my denomination suggest that due to the dangers of alcohol it's advisable people abstain. However in honest fashion the denomination holds it's people/clergy to the biblical standard of non-abusive/moderate use, accepting the truth of the bible that alcohol was a part of daily living in the ancient world.

 

[aubiecat]

I'm assuming that many of the representatives who vote against the bill are republicans. If my republican representative voted against a bill that would legalize homebrewing, I would ask him why he is promoting government regulations which stifle job creation (opening homebrew shops), when the official platform of the republican party says the following:

"While small businesses have significantly contributed to the nation’s economic growth, our government has failed to meet its small business goals year after year and failed to overcome burdensome regulatory, contracting, and capital barriers."

This has nothing to do with republicans and democrats. Last year and this year's hombrew bill was and is sponsored by republicans and had bipartisan sponsorship. Anyone who is against it is the enemy regardless of party affiliation.

*********************

 

[DrakeSuperbus]

This has nothing to do with republicans and democrats. Last year and this year's hombrew bill was and is sponsored by republicans and had bipartisan sponsorship. Anyone who is against it is the enemy regardless of party affiliation.

I know that republicans aren't solely to blame; I'm just saying that republicans who do vote against the bill are being hypocritical. It annoys me to hear people say, "I'm against regulation," and then go out of their way to regulate or stop alcohol, gambling, or any other activity they don't like.

 

[homebrewdad]

I know that republicans aren't solely to blame; I'm just saying that republicans who do vote against the bill are being hypocritical. It annoys me to hear people say, "I'm against regulation," and then go out of their way to regulate or stop alcohol, gambling, or any other activity they don't like.

Hear, hear.

Of course, Democrats being against it is equally hypocritical; how can the "socially lenient" party suggest that they have the right to tell me what I can and cannot drink?

 

[Huff360]

Here is some data for your enjoyment. I can't take credit for the map, another supporter complied it. I did compile the tally though, so if you see an error, let me know and I will correct it.

 

[aubiecat]

I know that republicans aren't solely to blame; I'm just saying that republicans who do vote against the bill are being hypocritical. It annoys me to hear people say, "I'm against regulation," and then go out of their way to regulate or stop alcohol, gambling, or any other activity they don't like.

It doesn't matter who is being hypocritical. It doesn't matter why they are being hypocritical. That argument is for another place and time.
There are only the ones who are for and the ones who are against.

The only reason any politician has to vote against this bill is if their constituents are against it.

 

[kombat]

Our well known "What's Wrong with the beer we got?" representative passed his own version here last session!!

http://www.waka.com/news/montgomery...Bill-Passes-Alabama-House-59-0-139465303.html

Wow.

We are officially out of problems.

 

[kombat]

If a congressperson against a certain thing for whatever reason, but his/her district makes it clear they are pretty much for it, then he/she has no business voting against it.

Like civil rights for minorities?

There's a reason direct democracies don't work. "Majority rules" is a lamb and 2 wolves voting on what's for dinner.

 

[BarefootFriar]

Like civil rights for minorities?

There's a reason direct democracies don't work. "Majority rules" is a lamb and 2 wolves voting on what's for dinner.

I see your point. After re-reading what I wrote, I can see where that would cause problems.

Therefore, I retract my previous statement.

 

[Huff360]

The only reason any politician has to vote against this bill is if their constituents are against it.

And if you are in a district that is red on the map above, the ONLY way your representative knows that they need to vote in favor of the bill is if you call, write, and e-mail them letting them know that they should vote yes.

As I said previously, most of the representatives who spoke against our bill did so on religious grounds. If you are a member of a church, please speak to your church leaders, if they support YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS and INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS please ask them to call their Representatives and voice their support.

This is a fight against "the few" who will stand up and yell and scream and take away the rights of "the many" using all the false information and rhetoric they can.

 

[CGVT]

I wrote and called my Representative and Senator last year as well as the Senate President Pro Tempore to try to get him to get the bill to a vote in the Senate. I will do so again this year.When he is up for reelection, I will not vote for my Representative, Randy Davis. He has voted no or abstained on all alcohol related votes that have come before him. He has voted no on all homebrew bills.

As I said in one of the threads last year, it is a tough uphill battle. Alcohol issues are religious issues in this state. Supporting homebrewing is not a very wise political move in Alabama. Hopefully we can counter act ALCAP's lobby efforts.

 

[Huff360]

I wrote and called my Representative and Senator last year as well as the Senate President Pro Tempore to try to get him to get the bill to a vote in the Senate. I will do so again this year.When he is up for reelection, I will not vote for my Representative, Randy Davis. He has voted no or abstained on all alcohol related votes that have come before him. He has voted no on all homebrew bills.

As I said in one of the threads last year, it is a tough uphill battle. Alcohol issues are religious issues in this state. Supporting homebrewing is not a very wise political move in Alabama. Hopefully we can counter act ALCAP's lobby efforts.

Damn fine looking glass you got there! I bet I had it on the back of my truck once.

 

[Huff360]

Starting to be more and more press about HB9. The session starts in a matter of days now! (Feb. 5)

As soon as there is action on our Bill, the official Twitter and Facebook pages will release the information. I'll copy those announcements over to here as soon after that as I can.

http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/21550361/article-Homebrew-bill-back-for-another-round

When the time comes every brewer in the state is going to need to call their representatives. If you don't know who yours are, you can find them here: http://www.legislature.state.al.us/misc/zipsearch.html

We expect the flow will be much like it was in the past. The committee will assign the Bill a date to be voted on. There will be a public hearing requested which will force the date to be pushed back. The committee will reassign the date and hold a public hearing. After that hearing, the committee will (hopefully) vote the Bill favorable.

From there, the Bill will have to make it to the Calendar for the House.

Then it has to make it off the Calendar and onto the floor for debate.

A passing vote would then move it over to the Senate to start the process over!

 

[Huff360]

More good press!

http://www.waff.com/story/20939769/ala-representative-pre-files-home-brewing-bill

 

[CGVT]

Good stuff.

 

[homebrewdad]

Man, I am hopeful. I was bitterly disappointed last year.