Proposed pro-craft brewing bills pass through Michigan House, move to Senate

In August, we reported on a pair of proposed bills in Michigan, one planned to increase the barrel threshold, while the other allows brewpubs to have an interest in five other brewpubs if the combined production doesn’t exceed 18,000 barrels of beer per year. Both bills — HB 4709 and HB 4710 — have passed the state’s House of Representatives and are currently in the senate’s reform committee. If passed through the Senate, HB 4709 would increase the barrel threshold from 30,000 to 60,000 barrels for micro brewers. The bill is seeing strong support in the Michigan government.

The Morning Sun Politics reported that State Rep. Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, is a strong supporter of the bill, explaining that the 30,000-bbl limit was put in place in the ’90s as a way of curbing alcohol abuse, but that recent studies have shown that craft beer is not abused the same way as hard liquor.

From the Morning Sun Politics:

“Michigan’s been very successful in our craft brewing industry,” Cotter said. “It’s something that’s taken off, it’s really drawing interest from the public.”
…
“I think it’s important for the state to get out of the way and not restrict that,” he said.

From growler laws to distribution legislation, allowing small craft brewers to grow by getting brewing restrictions out of the way has been a theme of regulations in the past few years. Not only do these laws allow brewers to sell more beer, but that means an increase in production and adding more jobs to local communities.

For the full story, check out the Morning Sun Politics and Craft Brewing Business keep you up to date with all the latest legislation and regulation news.