New York: Governor Forms Group to Modernize NYS Alcohol Laws

 

Gov. Forms Group to Modernize NY Alcohol Laws

 

Source: WGRZ

Kelly Dudzik

November 9, 2015

 

New York State’s liquor laws were written 80 years ago, and now the Governor has formed a group to look at modernizing them.

 

Members of the group include attorneys and beverage industry leaders. The working group will meet for the first time this Thursday.

 

The group members we spoke with on Monday told us that from their perspective this has to do with streamlining state laws to get rid of red tape small business owners deal with.

 

Some of the laws they felt were outdated have already been updated, for example, breweries can sell pints now in their tasting rooms. But there are other laws requiring mandatory paperwork which can be time consuming for a small staff.

 

“Instead you can be out marketing your wine, or producing your wine, or what have you, and your spirits or cider and especially these are small businesses, almost all of them in the four craft beverage categories, wine, beer, spirits and cider, they’re really mom and pop operations, and they can’t afford to have one person who is the paperwork person spending all of their time doing that,” says Jim Trezise, President of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

 

2 On Your Side also spoke with Nick Matt. His family has owned a brewery in Utica for 127 years. He says some of the laws written right after prohibition are good because they protect the smaller, local businesses.

 

When we asked about other regulations like restrictions on Sunday morning alcohol sales at restaurants, Trezise said that wasn’t something he was interested in bringing up, but others in the group might be. The State Liquor Authority did not return our phone call or email Monday when we asked whether that was expected to be one of Thursday’s topics.

 

 

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New York: NY Forms Group To Modernize State’s Alcohol Laws

 

Source: North Country Gazette

November 9, 2015

 

A working group of industry leaders has been created to recommend revisions to New York State’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Laws. The group, which is a direct result of the 3rd Wine, Beer, Spirits and Cider Summit, will review existing statutory provisions and explore approaches to clarify and modernize the 80-year-old statute.

 

“This administration has worked hard to cut red tape and break down bureaucratic barriers in order to help this state’s burgeoning craft wine, beer, spirit and cider producers thrive and create jobs,” Governor Cuomo said. “This working group will help continue these efforts, providing both perspective and first-hand experience on how to bring our laws into the modern era and further aid in the growth of this great New York industry.”

 

The working group will hold an opening meeting on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at the State Liquor Authority’s Harlem office located at 317 Lenox Ave.. Headed by State Liquor Authority chairman Vincent Bradley, the review will build upon the legislative and regulatory progress achieved over the past five years, focusing on reorganizing or replacing the current alcohol beverage control law, including, but not limited to:

 

    Removing outdated and redundant provisions;

    modernizing statutory language for clarity;

    improving and consolidating various licensing provisions;

    clarifying the types of licenses available;

    reducing mandatory paperwork; and

    eliminating unnecessary restrictions imposed on manufacturers.

 

Members of the industry workgroup include:

 

    Rose Mary Bailly, Executive Director, New York State Law Revision Commission

    Robert Bookman, Counsel, New York City Hospitality Alliance

    Jean Marie Cho, General Counsel at William Grant & Sons

    Keven Danow, Partner, Danow, McMullan & Panoff

    Lester Eber, Vice President, Southern Wine and Spirits

    Tom Edwards, President, New York State Liquor Store Association

    Ralph Erenzo, Founder and Master Distiller, Tuthilltown Spirits

    Steve Harris, President, New York State Beer Wholesalers Association

    Noreen Healey, Counsel, Phillips Nizer

    Steve Hindy, Co-founder, Brooklyn Brewery

    Mark Koslowe, Managing Partner, Buchman Law Firm

    Nick Matt, Chairman & CEO, F.X. Matt Brewing Company

    Michael Rosen, President & CEO, Food Industry Alliance of New York State

    Ebenezer Smith, District Manager, Community Board 12, Manhattan

    Jim Trezise, President, New York Wine & Grape Foundation

    Scott Wexler, Executive Director, Empire State Restaurant & Tavern Association

 

The workgroup will also include representatives from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Development Corporation, and the Department of Taxation and Finance. Additional industry members and other interested parties are encouraged to attend the Nov. 12 meeting. 11-9-15