Another stab at liquor law reform

[Townsend]

House kills sampling bill for Oklahoma breweries


http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=39&articleid=20120321_44_D3_CUTLIN755514

A measure that would have allowed licensed Oklahoma breweries to provide free samples to visitors was not given a floor vote by the House of Representatives by the required deadline last Thursday, effectively killing the bill.

The measure, House Bill 2477 authored by Rep. Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa, would have allowed a total of 10 ounces of free samples per visitor per day.

"Right now, the law technically does not allow me to sample my own beer, and this is ridiculous," Eric Marshall, CEO of Tulsa's Marshall Brewing Co., said in a news release. "We are proud of what we've built in Tulsa, and when we have visitors to our brewery, we would like to extend a limited amount of hospitality with a very small sample of our product."

The bill made it through the committee process with the support of the Appropriations & Budget committee, and it had no objections from the Oklahoma Alcohol Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission (ABLE), according to Marshall.

"While it is true there are some state leaders who will not vote in favor of any alcohol industry bills, most representatives we met with on both sides of the aisle saw this as a pro-business and pro-tourism bill and signaled their support," Marshall said. "Today, we are scratching our heads. We are going to regroup and start working on our plans for next year."

Oklahoma has five licensed breweries.     

[jacobi]

House kills sampling bill for Oklahoma breweries

My dad is asking seneca (his neighbour) about this.

[DolfanBob]

Wow ! 10 ounces. That truly is just a taste.
When I worked at a Liquor store back in the early 90s. We would always have a Wine tasting gathering at a Hotel sponsored by Central or Jarboe distributing.
And let me tell you. By the time we left I was good and loopy from all the "Samples" that we all got to enjoy.
They still do these little get togethers for Liquor store owners and staff. So whats the differance ?

As a side note. They do put on a Beer tasting event also.

[TheArtist]

Food "abuse and addiction" kills almost TEN TIMES more people in this state than alchohol.

Do they allow free samples of food?

[DTowner]

Nothing related to liquor is sane or rationale in the State of Oklahoma.  It will take an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution just to sell cork screws in liquor stores.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20120315_12_0_OKLAHO910821

That is why any meaningful reform is so daunting - everything requires a constitutional amendment.

[custosnox]

Nothing related to liquor is sane or rationale in the State of Oklahoma.  It will take an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution just to sell cork screws in liquor stores.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=12&articleid=20120315_12_0_OKLAHO910821

That is why any meaningful reform is so daunting - everything requires a constitutional amendment.

And the only way that is going to happen is if we go around the legislation

[DolfanBob]

Food "abuse and addiction" kills almost TEN TIMES more people in this state than alchohol.

Do they allow free samples of food?

There is a sample lady at Reasors every time we go shopping.

[dbacks fan]

There is a sample lady at Reasors every time we go shopping.

That's how I used to get a free lunch at COSTCO.

[Townsend]

The slow death of prohibition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17291978

But if prohibition is ever to fully die out, it could be down to changes going on within the Baptist churches themselves.

"A lot of younger evangelicals who read the Bible very literally, are nevertheless beginning to question the traditional stance against alcohol. They are beginning to say 'Jesus drank wine and Jesus even made wine so why are we still against moderate consumption of alcohol?'

"Ultimately, I do think the trend is going to be towards relaxing these laws."

[jacobi]

From today's World:

Read the comments from the justices

Justices eye challenge of wine in grocery stores proposal

Sparking wines and champagne. CHRISTOPHER SMITH/ Tulsa World File

By BARBARA HOBEROCK World Capitol Bureau
Published: 6/21/2012  8:24 AM
Last Modified: 6/21/2012  2:07 PM


OKLAHOMA CITY -- Some Oklahoma Supreme Court justices on Thursday took a critical view of a challenge to a proposal to let wine be sold in some grocery stores.

Oklahomans for Modern Liquor Laws is seeking to circulate an initiative petition to put the issue to a vote of the people. But the legal challenge means the measure likely will not be on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Yousef Javadzadeh, an Oklahoma City convenience store owner, and anti-addiction groups filed a protest to the proposal's constitutionality.

If the protest is denied, supporters could then circulate the petition, which needs 155,000 votes to be placed on the ballot.

Protestors allege the ballot measure violates the prohibition against issues containing more than one subject and the equal protection clause of the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions because it treats similarly situated entities differently.

Justice Noma Gurich said the challenge was about protecting an economic interest on a monopoly, adding that it was purely about dollars and not to keep children from consuming alcohol.

Jon Brightmire, representing Javadzadeh, said his client had a right to protest and the high court is duty bound to review it.

Justice Yvonne Kauger said she considers herself an expert in the single-subject rule.

"I have not seen anything in here that is not one single subject," Kauger said. "This is all involved with the sale of wine."

Kauger said people have a right to make changes to the Oklahoma Constitution if they chose.

Justice John F. Reif said he was having trouble seeing the equal protection violation alleged.

He said grocery stores can say package stores have an unfair advantage because they are selling liquor.

If approved by voters, State Question 763 would let counties of at least 50,000 people consider a limited expansion of retail wine sales. The expansion would require approval by voters in the county.

If approved, grocery stores and warehouse clubs with at least 25,000 square feet of floor space would be allowed to sell wine.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=53&articleid=20120621_53_0_OKLAHO923249

[Hoss]

From today's World:

Read the comments from the justices

This is aimed directly at Costco, I bet...specifically that last line.  Although most regular WalMarts are that size.  And I believe Reasors as well.

[jacobi]

This is aimed directly at Costco, I bet...specifically that last line.  Although most regular WalMarts are that size.  And I believe Reasors as well.

Trader joes?  although I think they are really corny, people seem to realy like them.

[Hoss]

Trader joes?  although I think they are really corny, people seem to realy like them.

I do seem to remember a couple of years ago or maybe more...that Costco said they only thing keeping them from putting stores in Oklahoma were the stoopid liquors laws.  Specifically the absence of wine sales in grocery stores.  More specifically the restriction of those sales to liquor stores.

[jacobi]

I do seem to remember a couple of years ago or maybe more...that Costco said they only thing keeping them from putting stores in Oklahoma were the stoopid liquors laws.  Specifically the absence of wine sales in grocery stores.  More specifically the restriction of those sales to liquor stores.

Costco's overtures were more overt.  I think tader joes were more...subvert.

[heironymouspasparagus]

And yet (as with other topics), even though there is near universal agreement, we as a state keep electing the same clowns that don't change the laws.

Anyone surprised by the results?