June 2013 - enter here

AssociationupdateSUCCESSFULLEGISLATIVESESSION FORBEVERAGEINDUSTRYThe beverage industry canbreathe a sigh a relief -- at leastfor now -- after the conclusion ofthe 2013 General Assembly in Annapolis.Several key issues such as chainstores requesting to sell alcoholicbeverages and dram shop liabilitydid not come up for a vote in thethree-month session, which endedin early April."Overall, we had a very good session,"says Chuck Ferrar, pastpresident of the Maryland State LicensedBeverage Association.J. Steven Wise, MSLBA's lobbyistagreed."We were successful on every priorityissue," he says.What was the key to stoppingsome of these bills, which couldirrevocably damagethe industry?Many in the industrypoint toFeb. 19 -- BeverageLobby Day. Nearly100 membersfrom MSLBA andthe Maryland BeerWholesalers Associationmade theirway to the state'scapital to speakwith their electedofficials."We had a lot ofour members getinvolved and speakto the legislators,”Jack Milani, whoserves as MSLBA'slegislative chair.Chuck Ferrar, past president of theMaryland State Licensed BeverageAssociation.By GinaGallucci-White"The legislators gotto hear from individualmembers andhow certain billswould affect them.It proved to be verybeneficial. ...Therewas a lot of greatwork done by members."Many members realizedhow importantit is to discussconcerning issuesface-to-face withtheir legislatorswho need to hearfrom individuals,Milani says."We rallied togetheras an industry," saysDavidMarberger,head of MSLBA'schain store committee.The turnout andmembership in bothassociations is ahuge asset of the industry,according toWise."The direct connectionbetween legislatorsand theirconstituent smallbusiness owners iscritical," he says."Whenever thoseowners take timeaway from their businessesto come toAnnapolis, legislatorsknow it must beimportant."CHAIN STORESIn the fall of 2012,the non-profit group,Marylanders for BetterBeer & WineLaws (MBBWL), releasedfindings froma Gonzales poll theycommissioned.64 percent of the813 registered votersquestioned said theywant to be able tobuy alcoholic beveragesin chain stores.Marberger countersthat if you standDavid Marberger, head of MSLBA's outside of a grocerychain store committee. store to ask the questions,you will find alot of people in favorof selling beverages at the store.But that is like taking a poll ifa person likes animals in front ofthe American Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Animals.He points out that many residentsdo not fully understand the threetiersystem and the deep ramificationsof chain stores selling alcoholicbeverages.Do parents want alcoholic beveragessold at stores their teenagersfrequent to grab a Gatorade afterpractice or fill up their car with atank of gas? Probably not, he says."There would be alcohol everywhereand that's not a good thing,"Marberger says. "I don't think thepublic (understands) just how deepthe change would be."Less than a month before the52 Beverage Journal June 2013 www.BeverageJournalInc.com