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See the latest national and state-level government affairs issues including news and announcements from the Brewers Association and members of the House and Senate Small Brewers Caucus.
Moving between Senate committees, Senate Bill 905, among a number of provisions, establishes a new $3.57 per wine gallon alcoholic beverage tax for liquor coolers with an alcohol by volume of over 7% ABV by manufacturers that produce up to …Read More
Moving to conference after the House disagreed with Senate amendments, H.B. 647 provides a definition of “low alcohol by volume spirits beverage” to mean any alcoholic beverage containing no more than five per cent alcohol by volume and includes distilled …Read More
Passing committee, H.B. 1160 would allow the donation of beer to a charitable, religious, or educational organization for the sole purpose of being auctioned by the organization or institution for fund-raising purposes. Read More
Now on third reading in the senate, S.B. 2852 authorize the direct intrastate and interstate shipment of liquor, cider, mead, and braggot. Read More
Senate Bill 682 would allow distilleries, small distilleries, and rectifiers within and outside the state to ship their spirits products to Maine consumers in a manner similar to that presently allowed for wineries to ship their wine products. Read More
Falling victim to the Governor’s line item veto, provisions in House Bill 547 seeking to raise taxes on all alcoholic beverages has been stricken. Under the bill, the excise tax imposed on beer manufactured or produced by a microbrewer …Read More
Amended and advancing from initial committee consideration, H.B. 2013 would fully open direct to consumer shipping from out-of-state producers and creates a direct to retailer permit for out-of-state manufacturers of malt beverages, wine or cider to allow manufacturer to sell …Read More
Amended in the Senate, House Bill 1458 would increase the volume of malt beverages, wine and liquor produced by small craft producer pub license holders, with the malt beverage cap increasing from 70,000 to 150,000 barrels. Read More
Passing both legislative chambers, S.B. 75 addresses the registration of out-of-state breweries, certain sales and shipping of beer and revises laws related to beer shipped by beer wholesalers. Read More
Passing the Senate with amendment, H.B. 1715 seeks to exempt brewers who manufacture less than 25,000 barrels annually from the provisions relating to the termination of beer distribution agreements, removes the ability to terminate an agreement with a beer distributor …Read More
Pete Johnson serves as the State & Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Brewers Association (BA). He joined the BA at its inception in 2005, having previously worked as Programs Director for the Brewers Association of America. Before coming to the small brewing industry in 2001, Pete worked for 14 years with both state and federal elected officials in Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
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