04/30/2025 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

        HB 182-ALCOHOL LICENSE: LIVE MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
4:26:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the  first order of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  182,  "An Act  relating  to  live music  and                                                               
entertainment at breweries, wineries, and distilleries."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
4:27:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KY HOLLAND,  Alaska State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,   presented  HB   182.     He  explained   that  current                                                               
legislation  allows  breweries,  wineries,  and  distilleries  in                                                               
Alaska  to  hold four  events  annually  and further  requires  a                                                               
permit to be  acquired per event.  He stated  that the permitting                                                               
requirements per event are identical  to requirements already met                                                               
in acquiring licensure.  He  explained that HB 182 would simplify                                                               
the requirements for events and  would allow breweries, wineries,                                                               
and distilleries to put on events with their existing licenses.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:28:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
EVAN  WOOD,  President,  Brewers  Guild  of  Alaska  (BGA),  gave                                                               
invited  testimony in  support of  HB 182.   He  stated that  BGA                                                               
represents  breweries,  wineries,   and  distilleries  throughout                                                               
Alaska.  He stated that BGA supports  HB 182, as is.  He asserted                                                               
that the  placement of live  events in the permitting  section of                                                               
Alaska  Statute (AS)  for breweries,  wineries, and  distilleries                                                               
was non-sensical because  the premises are already  licensed.  He                                                               
stated that the permitting process  currently used for breweries,                                                               
wineries, and  distilleries are  typically used  for off-premises                                                               
events  like  beer festivals,  catering  event,  et cetera.    He                                                               
asserted  that   the  current  laws  add   additional  costs  and                                                               
unnecessary bureaucracy  and asserted that  HB 182 would  make it                                                               
easier  and   more  affordable   for  breweries,   wineries,  and                                                               
distilleries to host musicians in their spaces.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:29:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARIAN CALL,  Director, Music Alaska,  gave invited  testimony in                                                               
support of  HB 182.   She explained that Music  Alaska represents                                                               
thousands of  musicians and hundreds  of music  businesses across                                                               
Alaska.   She explained that,  regardless of the  original intent                                                               
of current statute,  the fee is essentially a tax  taken from the                                                               
musicians.    She stated  that  the  $150  fee  is taken  out  of                                                               
musicians' or  producers' revenue for  the night, in  addition to                                                               
the cost of  room rentals.  She referred to  the Statewide Alaska                                                               
Music Census,  citing that musicians typically  garner about $130                                                               
to  $160  per show,  which,  she  stated,  equates to  less  than                                                               
minimum  wage when  considering set-up,  teardown, and  rehearsal                                                               
hours.  She  asserted that musicians are paying the  fees and the                                                               
fee strongly disincentivizes musicians  from working with certain                                                               
businesses.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:31:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
STEPHANIE HAFKINS,  Executive Director, Brewers Guild  of Alaska,                                                               
gave invited  testimony in support  of HB  182.  She  stated that                                                               
the current permitting  process for live event  permits for those                                                               
with  manufacturer   or  retail   licenses  is   "cumbersome  and                                                               
redundant."  She  asserted that HB 182 would remove  red tape and                                                               
make the  production of live  events more affordable.   She noted                                                               
that applicants  must pay a $100  fee to the Alcohol  & Marijuana                                                               
Control Office  (AMCO) per  each approved  live event  permit and                                                               
usually  applicants  have  to  pay  an  additional  fee  for  the                                                               
approval of local law enforcement  officers.  She explained that,                                                               
unlike  a catering  permit, a  manufacturer retail  licensed live                                                               
event  permit  does  not  require that  the  permitee  include  a                                                               
security plan or server list given  that the events take place on                                                               
premises with  regular employees.   She  argued that  the current                                                               
process  was costly  and bureaucratic  and required  approval for                                                               
activities already  allowed under  statute.   She stated  that HB
  would  remove  hurdles  and  would  encourage  the  affected                                                               
businesses to exercise  the full privilege of  their licenses and                                                               
collaborate  more  freely  with  musicians.    She  concluded  by                                                               
encouraging the  committee members to  support HB 182  and stated                                                               
that it would help communities across Alaska.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:34:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked  Ms. Hafkins if she  agreed that the                                                               
fee was actually a tax on musicians.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAFKINS explained that it  varied business to business on how                                                               
they chose to pay permitting fees  or additional fees, but it can                                                               
often affect  musicians.  She  noted that holding  four permitted                                                               
events a year  tends to be quite costly for  her own business, as                                                               
her  business additionally  rents stages  and sound  equipment as                                                               
needed.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:35:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR FIELDS set an amendment deadline for HB 182.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
[HB 182 was held over.]