Alabamians For Specialty Beer

The Steps to Freeing The Hops Have Begun

FTH introduced 2 separate bills for the 2011 legislative session:

  1. Brewery Modernization Act (HB191, SB192)
  2. Gourmet Bottle Bill (HB408)

The steps to their passage have begun.

Brewery Modernization Act


The aims of this Act are to allow breweries to sell on-premises like a brewpub, or to wholesalers, or to both, and to remove the crippling restrictions which prevent new breweries and brewpubs from opening.

Gourmet Bottle Bill


This legislation would change the 16 fluid oz. limit on beer sold in Alabama to 25.4 fluid oz. The 25.4 number was chosen because it would allow for 22 oz. and 750 mL bottle sizes - the two most common bottle sizes for high-end specialty beers.

The process

FTH will introduce two statewide Bills for each change before the Alabama legislature for the 2011 session: one before the Senate and one before the House of Representatives. Only one of these bills (either House or Senate) needs to pass through both for change to take place.

Having two bills was a strategy recommended by our lobbyist. By having identical bills in both houses, debate on our issue can happen in either house at any point during the session, rather than being forced until late in the session when it might be eclipsed by other political matters. So we'll be going through the same process in both houses of the legislature at approximately the same time.


The Steps to Freeing The Hops via HB161 (Brewery Modernization Act):

  1. Introduce HB161 and get a first reading on the floor of the House - Complete!
  2. Pass the House Economic Development and Tourism committee and get second reading on the floor of the House - Stopped here
  3. Pass a House Budget Isolation Resolution (BIR) vote with a 2/3rd supermajority
  4. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and a get a third reading on the floor of the House
  5. Introduce HB161 and get a first reading on the floor of the Senate
  6. Pass the Senate Small Business committee and get second reading on the floor of the Senate
  7. Pass a Senate Budget Isolation Resolution vote with a 2/3rd supermajority
  8. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and get a third reading on the floor of the Senate
  9. Obtain the Governor's signature, or the bill will become law without his signature
    10.

The Steps to Freeing The Hops via SB192:

  1. Introduce SB192 and get a first reading on the floor of the Senate - Complete!
  2. Pass the Senate Small Business committee and get second reading on the floor of the Senate - Complete!
  3. Pass a Senate Budget Isolation Resolution (BIR) vote with a 2/3rd supermajority - Complete!
  4. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and get a third reading on the floor of the Senate - Complete!
  5. Introduce SB192 and get a first reading on the floor of the House - Complete!
  6. Pass the House Economic Development and Tourism committee and get second reading on the floor of the House
  7. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and a get a third reading on the floor of the House - Complete!
  8. Signature by the Governor, or the bill will become law without his signature - Complete!


The Steps to Freeing The Hops via HB408 (Gourmet Bottle Bill):

  1. Introduce HB408 and get a first reading on the floor of the House - Complete!
  2. Pass the House Economic Development and Tourism committee and get second reading on the floor of the House - Stopped here
  3. Pass a House Budget Isolation Resolution (BIR) vote with a 2/3rd supermajority
  4. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and a get a third reading on the floor of the House
  5. Introduce HB161 and get a first reading on the floor of the Senate
  6. Pass the Senate Small Business committee and get second reading on the floor of the Senate
  7. Pass a Senate Budget Isolation Resolution vote with a 2/3rd supermajority
  8. Pass a vote for final passage with a simple majority and get a third reading on the floor of the Senate
  9. Obtain the Governor's signature, or the bill will become law without his signature
    10.


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