The below comes from the NJ Beer Guild, more specifically, an email from Flying Fish. Please consider helping out the cause and explore NJ!
For the first time since craft brewing was legalized in New Jersey, there’s an opportunity for you to make a difference and help NJ brewers and consumers.
On Monday, March 5th, the New Jersey’s Senate Law and Public Safety Committee will meet to vote on S-641. The bill, developed by the Garden State Craft Brewers Guild, will give all craft brewers in the state more flexibility in how, when and where they sell and promote their beer.
Current regulations highly restrict what NJ brewers can do—especially when compared to the surrounding states of NY, PA and DE.This will lead to a healthier environment for small brewers and more choices for craft beer consumers.
By Friday, March 2nd, please contact the 5 members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee (listed below) to let them know that you support the legislation as a craft beer consumer and ask them to VOTE YES on the bill.
For your information, Committee Chairman Donald Norcross is already a co-prime sponsor of the legislation. You should thank Chairman Norcross for his sponsorship and for allowing the bill to be voted on in committee on the 5th.
When calling the other members of the committee, you should comment on how this bill will help small brewers continue to create jobs, improve tourism opportunities and cut needless red tape. From the consumer perspective, you should comment on how the bill will allow you to have better access to the locally made craft beers you love and want more of.
Remember, please call or e-mail these members by Friday, March 2nd to make sure your voice is heard and your support for S-641 is registered.
Thank you for your continued support of New Jersey’s craft brewers.
Members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee
Norcross, Donald – Chair
Audubon Commons Shopping Center
130 Blackhorse Pike
1st Floor
Suite D-3
Audubon, NJ 08106
(856) 547-4800
sennorcross@njleg.orgGreenstein, Linda R. – Vice-Chair
7 Centre Dr.
Suite 2
Monroe, NJ 08831-1565
(609) 395-9911
sengreenstein@njleg.orgBateman, Christopher
36 East Main St.
Somerville, NJ 08876
(908) 526-3600
senbateman@njleg.orgHolzapfel, James W
852 Highway 70
Brick, NJ 08724
(732) 840-9028
senholzapfel@njleg.orgSacco, Nicholas J.
9060 Palisade Ave.
North Bergen, NJ 07047
(201) 295-0200
sensacco@njleg.org
Here's the bill verbiage in case someone wants to read it : http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/S1000/641…
VOTE NO!
As a Liquor Store owner, should this bill pass, why would I want to support any of these breweries who can open an "outlet" down the street and become my competition? Rather than shop at one store for a variety of craft beers you would have to go to several local "gas stations" to see what they carry! It will not help the "craft beer" environment in the state at all only hurt and dilute the distribution of these products! This would put a strain on the current beer distributors and would then even limit distribution of already very limited products. Do you really think allowing upto 16,000 new craft beer outlets will help the craft bee industry? Think about it. Russ Klepper.
Summary
Senate bill # 641 would allow for in-state and out-of-state Limited Brewery Licensees that brew no more than 500,000 barrels (15.5 million gallons) per year to sell their product in 10 New Jersey outlets for a fee of $250 for each outlet.
Currently, there are approximately 1,600 brewers that would be allowed to open 10 outlets each in New Jersey.
New Jersey Retailers pay an average of $475,000 for a license to sell alcoholic beverages. This bill would allow in-state and out-of-state breweries to directly compete with New Jersey Retailers for a fee of $250.
New Jersey Retailers are extremely concerned with this proposed legislation that will undermine the stability of our State's alcohol industry and lead to a substantial deterioration in retail and wholesale jobs in our State, at a time when there is a need to protect and defend thousands of NJ based jobs and NJ based employers.