[johnny_mo]

If you are a beer enthusiast and/or homebrewer in the state of New York, please continue reading. If not, please do not contact the legislative of New York.


Dear New York Homebrewers,

We need your immediate action to help homebrew supply shops in New York. Senate Bill S5509 (S5509) would allow your local homebrew shops to apply for a license to sell beer for off premises consumption. The general idea is to allow homebrew supply shops to add beer sales to their product list, which would benefit both the shops and New York's small and independent breweries.

Currently, only grocery stores, drug stores, and duly licensed supply ships operating in harbors in Lake Erie are eligible to apply for a license to sell beer for off-premises consumption.

S5509 has been assigned to the New York Senate Investigations & Government Operations Committee. We need the committee members to pass the bill and move it to the full Senate.

How Can You Help?

1.   Write to each state senator of the Investigations & Government Operations Committee by May 31 urging them to pass Senate Bill S5509 out of committee. See the sample text below (feel free to customize your message).

Instructions: All written comments should be submitted through the links of each state senator below. Make sure to mention in your subject line/email Senate Bill S5509 and for your message to be admitted on record.

New York State Senators of the Investigations & Government Operations Committee

James Skoutis (chair, D-39), Chris Jacobs (R-60), Alessandra Biaggi (D-34), David Carlucci (D-38), Todd Kaminsky (D-9), Andrew J Lanza (R-24), Luis R Sepúlveda (D-32)


Dear [State Senator Name],

I am writing to urge you to pass Senate Bill S5509 out of the New York Investigations & Government Operations Committee to the Senate floor.

Senate Bill 5509 is a fair bill that would benefit the more than 20 brewery supply stores across the state that support thousands of homebrewers and their communities, as well as benefit New York's 400+ small and independent breweries. The bill allows brewery supply stores to apply for a license to sell beer for off-premises consumption. This new opportunity will help keep these small, locally-owned businesses competitive.

New York's economy will benefit from passage of Senate Bill 5509. The majority of the more than 7,000 breweries now operating in the United States, including over 400 in New York, were founded by homebrewers. Successful brewery supply stores help to build a vibrant homebrewing community, fostering the growth of locally owned businesses, which contribute jobs and tax revenue to New York's economy.

I strongly urge you to pass Senate Bill 5509. It is the right thing to do for New York small businesses, homebrewers, and craft breweries, and will prove beneficial to New York's economy.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Email]


Thank you for your attention to this action alert and support of homebrewing.

Gary Glass
AHA Director
Gary@brewersassociation.org

John Moorhead
AHA Competition Coordinator
John@brewersassociation.org