Legislature(2021 - 2022)SENATE FINANCE 532
01/19/2022 01:00 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB9 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 9 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
January 19, 2022
1:02 p.m.
1:02:20 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Bishop called the Senate Finance Committee meeting
to order at 1:02 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Click Bishop, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Natasha von Imhof
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator David Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman
ALSO PRESENT
Senator Peter Micciche, Sponsor; Lee Ellis, President,
Alaska Brewers Guild; Sarah Oates, President and CEO,
Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers
Association.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Tiffany Hall, Executive Director, Recover Alaska; Glen
Klinkhart, Interim Director, Alcohol and Marijuana Control
Office, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development; Anna Brawley, Title Review Coordinator, Agnew
Beck Consulting.
SUMMARY
SB 9 ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL; ALCOHOL REG
SB 9 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
SENATE BILL NO. 9
"An Act relating to alcoholic beverages; relating to
the regulation of manufacturers, wholesalers, and
retailers of alcoholic beverages; relating to
licenses, endorsements, and permits involving
alcoholic beverages; relating to common carrier
approval to transport or deliver alcoholic beverages;
relating to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board;
relating to offenses involving alcoholic beverages;
amending Rule 17(h), Alaska Rules of Minor Offense
Procedure; and providing for an effective date."
1:03:00 PM
Co-Chair Bishop noted it was the first hearing for SB 9 for
the current session. The intention of the committee was to
hear a bill re-introduction, consider invited testimony,
and then set the bill aside.
1:03:45 PM
SENATOR PETER MICCICHE, SPONSOR, thanked the committee. He
noted that alcohol was very important industry in the state
and added that alcohol was a substance commonly abused. He
asserted that the bill was about balance and fairness in
consideration of both those issues. The bill modernized
statute and brought together various stakeholders to craft
meaningful policy.
Senator Micciche continued to introduce the bill. He noted
that while not every bar owner or manufacturer supported
every piece of the legislation, but that Alaska CHARR and
the Brewers Guild supported the bill. He added that there
were some in public safety that wanted to see other
provisions in the bill, but that Recover Alaska and the
Alaska State Troopers supported the bill. He thought the
bill recognized what was important about the industry but
put effectiveness into enforcement. The bill would allow
healthy operators to continue to operate. He spoke of the
many years of work on the bill and the many people
involved.
He emphasized that the bill promoted a fair business
climate and limited youth access to alcohol. The bill
promoted responsible alcohol use to reduce the harms of
over-consumption. He regaled the committee with the various
positive benefits of the legislation.
Senator Micciche announced that there were invited
testifiers available in the room.
1:07:43 PM
LEE ELLIS, PRESIDENT, ALASKA BREWERS GUILD, spoke in
support of the bill. He explained that the guild
represented 40 stakeholders, employed many Alaskans, and
generated significant funds for the state. He lamented the
effects of Covid-19 on the alcohol industry. He said that
the guild was very happy with the bill.
1:09:25 PM
SARAH OATES, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ALASKA CABARET, HOTEL,
RESTAURANT AND RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, testified in support
of the bill. She was pleased that the bill was being heard
early in the session and believed the legislation would
greatly benefit the industry in Alaska. She said that
liquor licensees had suffered a devastating blow by Covid-
19. She urged support for the legislation.
1:11:36 PM
TIFFANY HALL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RECOVER ALASKA (via
teleconference), spoke in support of the bill. She
explained the mission of Recover Alaska. She relayed that
her organization and many other stakeholders had been
working on the bill for many years. She discussed alcohol
statistics in the state which affected criminal justice,
healthcare, loss of productivity, traffic accidents, and
life expectancy. She believed that the bill would be a
huge win for the state.
1:14:16 PM
AT EASE
1:15:15 PM
RECONVENED
GLEN KLINKHART, INTERIM DIRECTOR, ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA
CONTROL OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (via teleconference), stated that the
Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office had consistently
supported the bill. He commented on provisions of the bill
that worked. He had spent 25 years as a law enforcement
officer in the state. He had co-opted the fine schedule to
implement in enforcement for marijuana, which had been
developed in partnership with the industry. He appreciated
the introduction to Title 4 and how it could be applied to
marijuana.
1:18:43 PM
Senator Wielechowski asked about keg registration and
wanted to clarify the application for home brewers.
Senator Micciche wanted to clarify that the bill did not
create rules to regulate usages where they did not already
exist. A home brewer was not a licensee, and the bill was
designed specifically for licensees.
Mr. Ellis addressed Senator Wielechowski's question. He
noted that kegs were registered upon sale. Further clarity
would be available through the registration process. The
goal of the bill was that if underaged persons were in
possession of a keg, the person who supplied it would be
held accountable.
Senator Wielechowski referenced page 96, section 111, of
the bill and asked about the impact to homebrewers and
bottle clubs.
ANNA BRAWLEY, TITLE REVIEW COORDINATOR, AGNEW BECK
CONSULTING (via teleconference), shared that provision
would not apply to a private event that was not open to the
public.
Senator Wielechowski asked whether Ms. Brawley was familiar
with the keg registration provision. He wondered whether
homebrewers would have to register kegs.
Mr. Brawley understood that a person using a keg for
personal use would not have to register.
1:22:55 PM
Senator Wielechowski thought that under the bill, towns
with 12,000 people would only be allowed one brewery tap
room and one winery tasting room, which was more
restrictive than current statute.
Senator Micciche explained that change would not eliminate
already existing businesses. He said that not everyone
would be pleased with every aspect of the bill.
1:24:54 PM
Senator Wilson discussed a concern about a barrier to new
brewers and the growing brew industry.
Senator Micciche acknowledged that the bill would create a
limited entry situation. He stressed that the policies in
the bill had been negotiated to change the statute to
reflect current conditions in the industry while leaving
room for growth.
ADJOURNMENT
1:26:50 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 1:26 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 9 One Pager 2022.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Summary of Changes ver B to ver I.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9_Title4Pres_Senate_FIN_5.2021.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Sponsor Statement ver I.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Sectional Analysis ver I 04.14.21.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Support to Senate Finance April 13 2021.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Letters of Support 4.15.21.pdf |
SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM |
SB 9 |
| SB 9 Title 4 Review Report 02.2019.pdf |
SFIN 5/3/2021 9:00:00 AM SFIN 1/19/2022 1:00:00 PM SL&C 2/12/2021 1:30:00 PM |
SB 9 |