[Gary Glass]

Illinois residents, support HB630 to legalize removal of homebrew from the home for competitions, competitions, club meetings, etc.  The bill will also allow for homebrew shops to brew onsite for demonstration purposes and serve samples of homemade beer and wine.  Senate vote could happen Friday, May 7. See the action alert at http://ow.ly/kEznH

[gymrat]

Does anybody know what is going on with the Kansas home brew bill?

[Gary Glass]

The Alabama Senate passed HB9, the homebrew bill last night 18-7-1. It now goes on to Governor Bentley to sign. We'll get an action alert out soon to encourage Alabama residents to contact the Governor's office. The state's neo-prohibitionists will be calling on him to veto.

[theDarkSide]

Congratulations to Alabama for officially legalizing homebrewing!!!

http://www.alahomebrewing.org/news
http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/05/gov_robert_bentley_signs_home.html

[Gary Glass]

Yes, it's true, the Governor of Alabama signed HB 9 the homebrew legalization bill yesterday. Homebrewing is now legal in Alabama, and as of July 1, when the Mississippi law goes into effect will be legal in all 50 states for the first time since before prohibition!

[udubdawg]

Does anybody know what is going on with the Kansas home brew bill?

Per Steve Cook, nothing is going to happen this year, at least in terms of a law...

bummer, but happy for Alabama and Mississippi at least. 
As of July 1, will there be any other states where competitions are illegal?  Hmm.

[Gary Glass]

Does anybody know what is going on with the Kansas home brew bill?

As of July 1, will there be any other states where competitions are illegal?  Hmm.

The Kansas bill is indeed dead. It got off to a bit of a late start. There was an attempt to get it added on to another bill, but that procedure was determined to be in violation of legislature rules.

There is currently legislation pending in Illinois and Missouri that would legalize transport of homebrew for competitions, club meetings, etc. The Missouri House may have doomed the MO legislation by tacking on an amendment dealing with beer wholesalers. I have not yet seen the text of that amendment.

Georgia and Iowa both passed homebrew transportation bills earlier this year.  I know there is a bill drafted in Ohio, but I haven't heard the status on that in a while.  There likely are other states with transport issues, but we've come a long way in the last few years.

[udubdawg]

thanks for keeping us up-to-date Gary.

Illinois looks to be in pretty good shape.  Passed House 118-0, and passed second reading in Senate; just needs to be voted on in Senate.  Hopefully the homebrewing community will receive more good news soon.

[Gary Glass]

The Illinois Senate passed homebrewing rights bill HB630 today, sending it on to the Governor. The bill formally legalizes transport of homebrew for club meetings and competitions and allows homebrew shops to hold brewing demonstrations and offer samples to customers.

The Missouri Senate rejected an amendment added by the House to a similar homebrew bill that would grant sweeping powers to the state's alcohol beverage distributors. The homebrew bill could still survive if the House votes in favor of Senate version of the bill before the 2013 session ends Friday, May 17.

[phunhog]

Surprisingly I haven't seen much on this. In California Gov. Brown signed AB 1425 into law on 10/1.  It allows non profits to accept donations of homebrewed wine and beer and sell them at charity fundraisers....such as beer festivals.   This is going to be great for CA homebrewers!!  Here is some more info.   http://napavalleyregister.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/wine/governor-signs-bill-to-allow-homemade-wine-and-beer-charity/article_95e84a10-2c6b-11e3-93d5-001a4bcf887a.html

http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140AB1425

[Gary Glass]

I hadn't heard anything about this bill until it was signed by Governor Brown.  Apparently it was pushed primarily by home winemakers rather than homebrewers.  Allowing contributions to nonprifits is great, however, I do have some concerns that the bill also changed language regarding removal of homemade beer and wine from the home that could be interpreted more narrowly than the existing law. Most likely it will not be an issue, at least for the short term.

[phunhog]

I agree that the new law isn't perfect. I am just happy that now I can donate my beer to a non profit and they can sell it at a fundraising event.

[Gary Glass]

We sent an action alert to members in Kansas today regarding a homebrew bill "Substitute for HB 2223", which will likely be going to a vote before the state House tomorrow (Tuesday, February 4).  This bill would allow for homebrew to be transported outside of the home where made for homebrew club meetings and competitions.  Kansas residents should contact their state House representatives now to request they vote in favor of this bill.

See the alert at: http://www.craftbeer.com/action-alerts/attention-kansas-homebrewers-2.

[Gary Glass]

We just sent another action alert, this time in support of the Mississippi Brewers Guild on an issue that could very negatively affect that state's small commercial breweries.  We urge Mississippi residents to contact their legislators and respectfully ask that they vote no on SB2590/HB1363.

You can see the alert at: http://www.craftbeer.com/action-alerts/action-alert-support-mississippi-small-brewers-oppose-sb2590hb1363.

[Gary Glass]

Kansas homebrewers, support your brewing rights!  Substitute for HB 2223 passed the Kansas House today and now moves on to the Senate.  Please contact the members of the Senate Federal and State Affairs committee as well as the state Senator for your district and ask them to support Substitute for HB 2223.

See the action alert at: http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/recent-alerts/calling-all-kansas-homebrewers/.