Small business is under attack in Florida. Yesterday, the Florida Senate voted 30-10 in flavor of SB-1714. The bill would require breweries making more than 2,000 kegs a year, to sell the beer to a distributor, only to buy it back at a marked up rate to sell to patrons at the breweries. The move would be a huge financial loss to craft breweries. In turn, crippling small brewery growth.
What’s next? Good news is, there is no companion bill in the Florida House. The Senate has passed SB-1714 to the House for approval. If they produce another edition of the bill, it will then go to Joint Committee. Rep. Dana Young (R) (a fierce craft beer supporter) states that legislative procedures will mostly likely keep the bill out of the yearly legislative session that ends this Friday.
Here is some perspective. The Florida Beer Wholesaler’s corporation that backs the bill, which are largely financed by MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev. MSNBC reports that Senators voting for SB-1714 have received over $50,000 dollars in campaign contributions from beer wholesalers, whereas Senators voting against the bill, just $2000 dollars.
Good news, it may be a while before SB-1714 becomes reality. Follow craft beer supporter Rep. Dana Young on Twitter.
