Legislation dealing with homebrewing beer has been introduced. As in every state, the La. Alcohol and Tobacco Control Law states that you cannot manufacture or distribute alcohol without a license or paying taxes. However, most states have language listing homebrewing up to a certain level (usually the federally approved level) as an exception. Unfortunately, the Louisiana law has no such exception. Our only protection has been a State Supreme Court case from 1944 that overturned a conviction dealing with 4 bottles of homebrew.
HB503 (
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=684299) has been filed and this bill makes homebrewing explicitly legal up to 100 gallons for a single adult or 200 gallons per year for a two adult household. This bill also makes it legal to transport and serve homebrewed beer up to certain levels at festivals, conferences, competitions, club meetings, and even just going to a friend’s house. We feel that this legislation is vital to create an environment where the hobby can grow in this state.
The legislative session begins on Monday, March 29th, and the bill has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee. What we need to do now is to let the members of the Committee know that residents of the state feel that this bill is important and should be read by the Committee and approved for a full House vote. To do this, we all need to contact the Judiciary Committee chair, Rep. Cedric Richmond, and recommend that HB503 be added to the Committee agenda at their earliest meeting. Of secondary importance, contacting other members of the Committee will also be helpful by letting them know that we support this bill. Phone calls to the Representatives’ secretary during normal business hours are most effective. The phone calls are quick and easy, and should include a statement in your own words mentioning that you would like to see the bill on the agenda at the Committee’s earliest meeting and that you support approval of the bill for a floor vote. I will keep everyone updated about our progress as well as when to contact their representatives for the next step.
It is up to us to help move HB503 through the process, so please take a few minutes to place these calls and encourage anyone who you think would be supportive to do the same. Out of state calls are not effective, so let’s limit this to voters in Louisiana.
Judiciary Committee Members
Cedric Richmond (504)242-4198, larep101@legis.state.la.us
Neil Abramson (504)275-8051, abramson@legis.state.la.us
Patrick Connick (504)371-0240, connickp@legis.state.la.us
John Bel Edwards (985)748-2245, edwardsj@legis.state.la.us
Franklin Foil (225)342-6777, foilf@legis.state.la.us
A B Franklin (337)491-2320, franklina@legis.state.la.us
Rickey Hardy (337)262-2598, hardyr@legis.state.la.us
Joe Harrison (800)935-2081, harrisoj@legis.state.la.us
Walker Hines (504)756-4675, hinesw@legis.state.la.us
Rosalind Jones (318)362-5476, jonesr@legis.state.la.us
Walt Leger III (504)556-9970, legerw@legis.state.la.us
Nick Lorusso (504)483-4711, larep094@legis.state.la.us
Nickie Monica (985)652-1228, monican@legis.state.la.us
M.J. "Mert" Smiley, Jr. (225)698-9694, larep088@legis.state.la.us
Ledricka Johnson Thierry(337)948-0369, thierryl@legis.state.la.us
Mack "Bodi" White, Jr. (800)408-9764, larep064@legis.state.la.us
Topic: Attention Louisiana Homebrewers! (Read 1667 times)
