SB 128-BREWERY LICENSES/PERMITS  1:47:32 PM CHAIR EGAN announced consideration of SB 128. SENATOR MENARD moved to adopt CSSB 128 ( ), version 27-LS0647\D. CHAIR EGAN objected for discussion purposes. GENEVIEVE WOTJUSIK, staff to Senator Lesil McGuire, explained that this version clarifies some things that were brought to their attention in committee last week. The chairs at the bar and live entertainment would only happen during fives special events that are permitted per year. Changing the hours from 8 to 10 would be year round. It also adds that each brewery employee must have a Tams card (alcohol awareness training). Breweries are pretty new to the state and that was not required before, because the statute is old. CHAIR EGAN withdrew his objection. SENATOR PASKVAN joined the committee. CHAIR EGAN asked Senator Paskvan if he had any questions since he had talked about the Tams cards. SENATOR PASKVAN replied that his concern had been cured. SENATOR MENARD asked if a brewery would be held to the same scrutiny when it holds an event as a regular licensed establishment. MS. WOTJUSIK answered yes. 1:50:09 PM SASSAN MOSSANEN, Denali Brewing Company, Talkeetna, said he sent a letter of support to the committee on SB 128 and wanted to read it. The letter related that their tasting room is closed by 6 p.m. for seven months of the year, but in the remaining months it is critical for them to be able to serve small quantities of product to interested folks. By providing a quality experience for their guests, they bring attention to what a great state Alaska is to visit. Without exception, he said, they don't have a single evening during the summer season where they do not have to turn guests away. Many of the folks are local, hardworking Alaskans that take advantage of the longer days to work past 8 p.m. and would prefer to support their local brewery. Some of them have driven two hours from Anchorage to enjoy their favorite beer, only to be told "no." The nuance of the difference between a brew pub and a brewery escape many of them He read further: Equally important are the visitors to the state that are here to experience genuine Alaskan hospitality. People from all over the world come to Talkeetna to experience the mountains, rivers, and create a flavor that can only be found here. Sadly, after a day of fishing or exploring our backyard, we are forced to hastily usher these folks out of our establishment. There is no way to gain support for a local industry that has a long tradition of bringing visitors to our state and employing many. Manufacturing in Alaska is not easy. SB 128 gives small business owners further freedom to manage their business responsibly. MR. MOSSANEN said he was available to answer questions. SENATOR MENARD said she resides in the Mat-Su Borough that is famous for the Alaska State Fair and that several other communities have a fair, too. She asked if this special events permit would allow a brewery to set up an off-premise location in which to vend their beer. MR. MOSSANEN replied that Denali Brewing had been the official brewery of the Alaska State Fair last year and will be the official brewery again this year. The way they win that distinction is by winning the Mat-Su Beer Festival. He didn't know if this would enable them to set up a vending booth at the Fair. Their interest has been primarily to work through their distributor. The Alaska State Fair, over the course of the last two years, has been putting a genuine effort into bringing attention to the local breweries in Alaska and Denali Brewery intends to continue using that avenue. 1:56:31 PM KAREN BERGER, part-owner, Homer Brewing Company, Homer, supported SB 128. They definitely know the difference between being a brewery and a brew pub, she said, and they are not intending to go into competition with their customers, which are the finer eating and drinking establishments in the town. She believed that breweries have enhanced all the licenses in the state by providing locally made product with "a whole lot of soul." She said that breweries have become an economic force in the state and that having a special events permit would give them a chance to showcase their operation and allow the public to have a more personal connection to these businesses. All are non- smoking establishments. She couldn't imagine any of the breweries in the state not having their key personnel being a card-carrying member of Tams card. SENATOR MENARD asked how many new breweries have opened since 1996. MS. BERGER replied about 13 or 15 and they had all been successful. 2:00:59 PM ZACH HENRY, St. Elias Brewing Company, Soldotna, supported SB 128. He said they have a "restaurant eating place public convenience license" and operate like a brew pub with beer and wine on site and no hard liquor. He thought their friends across the state that own breweries should be able to operate their businesses until 10 p.m. and didn't see the special events permit five times a year as any competition to them. MS. WOTJUSIK clarified that there are 10 brew pubs, 1 pub and 16 breweries in the state. 2:02:58 PM ALICE KERKVLIET, owner, Michael's Restaurant, Soldotna, supported SB 128. Her two brewery neighbors made her aware of SB 128; they are good companies doing good things for their community, running their businesses responsibly. She didn't see a problem with them having a special events permit. CHAIR EGAN stated that the amendment was adopted. SENATOR MENARD moved to report CSSB 128( ), labeled 27-LS0647\D, from committee to the next committee of referral with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note as amended. There were no objections, and it was so ordered.