The 3-Tiered System
The alcohol supply chain consists of alcohol producers, distributors, and retailers. The 3 -tiered system is designed to prevent one company from operating in multiple levels of the supply chain. The intention was to prevent one company from gaining a monopoly over the industry. Unfortunately, the regulations are outdated, and don't work as they intended. Mark Garthwaite, head of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild, will speak on his vision for intelligent reform of the system and how it would help the industry continue to flourish in Wisconsin.
Proposed Changes
Recently, new regulations were proposed that would create a new department, The Office of Alcohol Beverages Enforcement, that would increase enforcement of the existing 3-tier system and create a more robust fine structure. This new department would have a budget of approximately $2 Million and would make it significantly harder, if not impossible, for small craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries to operate tap rooms at their production facilities where patrons could buy and drink their products.
These regulations were proposed as a 999 motion instead of an actual bill. A 999 motion is supposed to be used to add minor adjustments to the budget, but it has been abused in the past, and this instance is no exception. 999 motions are not subjected to public scrutiny like bills are. They require two legislators to put them forward, but the identity of the legislators remains anonymous. Furthermore, 999 motions often slip through in the dead of night when few people are around to contest them. They then become part of the budget, and the assembly must vote on the budget as a whole. This trick is usually used to pork-barrel special interest items onto the budget that legislators know would never pass as a traditional bill.
Wisconsinites don't want this new department. It hurts our treasured craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries that are important parts of our economy and our culture. The Libertarian Party of Dane County opposes these regulations and wants to reform the existing regulations to help small businesses.
These regulations were proposed as a 999 motion instead of an actual bill. A 999 motion is supposed to be used to add minor adjustments to the budget, but it has been abused in the past, and this instance is no exception. 999 motions are not subjected to public scrutiny like bills are. They require two legislators to put them forward, but the identity of the legislators remains anonymous. Furthermore, 999 motions often slip through in the dead of night when few people are around to contest them. They then become part of the budget, and the assembly must vote on the budget as a whole. This trick is usually used to pork-barrel special interest items onto the budget that legislators know would never pass as a traditional bill.
Wisconsinites don't want this new department. It hurts our treasured craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries that are important parts of our economy and our culture. The Libertarian Party of Dane County opposes these regulations and wants to reform the existing regulations to help small businesses.