Sign my petition: Remove the 12% ABV cap on beer in Ohio

[topher.bartos]

Hello,

My petition is to remove the 12% ABV cap on beer in Ohio. You can find it here:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-state-of-ohio-redefine-the-definition-of-beer-no-longer-put-a-cap-on-abv-2

Today, Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati all have a large population of home brewers and craft beer fans who
need to leave the state in order to find beer that we can't get in Ohio because of the 12% ABV cap on beer.

We do not believe this is about "getting drunk", it's more about experiencing good craft beer. I firmly believe that we need to find beer in our own state instead of stimulating the economies and increasing the tax revenue of other states.

At the time of this writing I have 464 signatures within only two days of the petition being published with new signatures every couple minutes. If you believe in this cause, would you please pass this around to the members of your home brew club and to family and friends elsewhere?

Thank you so much,

Chris

[denny]

I assume only people from Ohio should sign.

[topher.bartos]

Should. But, not necessary. There have been people signing from California, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc.

Strength in numbers!!

[nateo]

So, is the petition to remove or change the law, or just 'we feel like someone should do something at some point' ?

[topher.bartos]

It's a petition to change the law. 12% is absolutely arbitrary and should be changed to something more reasonable.

I can buy a Flying Dog Double Dog at 11.5% in the state of Ohio but I can't buy a Great Divide Barrel Aged Yeti because it's 12.2%...

It's a ridiculous law.

[a10t2]

So why not get a legislator (or several) to sponsor a bill changing the law? That's what you're going to have to do anyway, unless the plan is for someone else to see the petition and take action.

[topher.bartos]

I already emailed a few legislators about the petition. It has been proposed in Ohio to raise the ABV from 12 - 18% but I don't know if it has a lot of support. That's where this petition comes into play.

EDIT: I read somewhere that the proposal to increase the ABV limit on beer to 18% has been removed from the budget in 2011

[denny]

Should. But, not necessary. There have been people signing from California, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc.

Strength in numbers!!

I'd advise you to limit it to only OH residents.  Based on my experience getting the laws changed here, OH legislators don't care what people in other states might think.

[topher.bartos]

Should. But, not necessary. There have been people signing from California, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc.

Strength in numbers!!

I'd advise you to limit it to only OH residents.  Based on my experience getting the laws changed here, OH legislators don't care what people in other states might think.

+1 -- 99% of the signers are from Ohio. I'm only hoping that Ohio residents are also on these forums.

[nateo]

So why not get a legislator (or several) to sponsor a bill changing the law? That's what you're going to have to do anyway, unless the plan is for someone else to see the petition and take action.

Yeah, that was my point. I don't really get what a random internet petition will accomplish.

[a10t2]

Bear in mind that most legislators are too busy to actually draft legislation. That's done by staffers, lobbyists, and/or constituents.

[denny]

Bear in mind that most legislators are too busy to actually draft legislation. That's done by staffers, lobbyists, and/or constituents.

Yeah, but you need a legislator for a sponsor.  Here in OR we were lucky to have a homebrewing state senator as our sponsor.

[topher.bartos]

So why not get a legislator (or several) to sponsor a bill changing the law? That's what you're going to have to do anyway, unless the plan is for someone else to see the petition and take action.

Yeah, that was my point. I don't really get what a random internet petition will accomplish.

What is the point of petitions? Garner support or for putting something on the next ballot. I need a few thousand to get something on a ballot. So, I guess we'll see what happens.

[nateo]

What is the point of petitions? Garner support or for putting something on the next ballot. I need a few thousand to get something on a ballot. So, I guess we'll see what happens.

Dude, you should really check out what your state requires to make a real petition. I even did the googling for you:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Ohio_signature_requirements

[reverseapachemaster]

The first thing you want to do is try to get the craft brewers in the state to endorse your proposal. You can also try to get the distributors on board although they may be tied to one of the BMC corporations and unwilling to break ties. You will need their support because the legislature isn't going to take it seriously if the regulated industry in question doesn't care. Once you have tentative agreements in the industry then you can get petitions passed around the state with actual signatures of OH citizens. 

Then you need to draft the legislation and have your industry contacts approve the proposed language and provide firm endorsements. Ask if they will write endorsement letters explaining how it would be good for the state. Then submit the proposed legislation, endorsements and petitions to the offices of all the representatives and senators in the state. Then call, call, call to find reps and senators who will support the bill and introduce it.

It's going to be a long, hard battle. Raising the ABV limit on beer in the state isn't much of a pressing issue and you'll likely encounter resistance from liquor, wine and big brewery businesses and industry groups. You may have to keep submitting it through several legislative sessions.