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April 10-13 - 2017 Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America | Washington, DC April 18-21 - & Spirits Wholesales of America 74th Annual Convention & Expo | Orlando, FL April 24-25 - Responsible Retailing Forum National Conference | San Francisco, CA April 30-May 3 - National Wholesalers Association Legislative Conference | Washington, DC May 1-2 - Alabama Distiller's League Trade Show | Birmingham, AL May 2 - Massachusetts Package Stores Association 75th Anniversary Celebration & Tasting | Randolph, MA May 22-25 - National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Annual Conference | Marco Island, FL June 5 - Illinois Licensed Beverage Association Annual Golf Outing | Springfield, IL June 10-12 - ABL Summer Board Meeting | Minneapolis, MN June 11-14 - National Conference of State Administrators Annual Conference | Denver, CO June 12-14 - Beverage Alcohol Retailers Conference | Minneapolis, MN July 30-31 - Texas Package Stores Association 70th Annual Convention & Trade Show | Fort Worth, TX September 6-8 - 10th Annual Alcohol Law & Policy Conference | Chicago, IL September 11-14 - Montana Association Convention | Billings, MT September 17-19 - Illinois Licensed Beverage Association 132nd Annual Convention | Alton, IL September 22-25 - Wine & Spirits Guild of America Meeting | Boston, MA October 2-5 - Tavern League of Wisconsin Fall Convention & Trade Show | Appleton, WI October 16 - Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Fall Membership Meeting | Washington, DC ABL & PUBLIC POLICY News ABL Brings Together Beverage Retailers from Across the United States for 15th Annual Meeting Beverage retailers and their partners from across the hospitality industry came together in Las Vegas on March 26-28 for American Beverage Licensees' (ABL) 15th Annual Meeting. Attendees networked with their peers from around the country and learned about emerging issues in the beverage alcohol industry. Meeting speakers addressed a variety of important topics including the issues facing the wholesale tier, emerging trends in the beverage alcohol sector, mobile alcohol ordering platforms, music licensing, the growing recreational cannabis marketplace and legislation, and state alcohol policy initiatives.

Brady Begins Tax Outreach to Democrats House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) will get an earful when he meets with committee Democrats to discuss tax reform, including questions on a timetable, an open process and whether Republicans truly want a bipartisan bill. For months, Brady has talked about getting Democrats on board to support the GOP tax reform plan.

Marijuana Could Soon Be Regulated like Alcohol in All 50 States In eight states and Washington D.C., adults can legally consume marijuana-and that could soon change to adults in all 50 states. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) recently introduced a bill that would make marijuana federally legal and allow the plant to be regulated as alcohol is in the U.S. Under the new bill, called the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, the plant would be removed from its Schedule I listing on the Controlled Substances List and would be regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Jeff Sessions Is Ordering the Justice Department to Review Its Policy on Marijuana Attorney General Jeff Sessions has directed the Justice Department to evaluate marijuana 'enforcement policy' as part of a new task force designed to reduce violent crime, according to a memo issued Wednesday to 94 US attorneys. The memo specifically outlined the creation of a subcommittee of the new Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety designed to review existing policies to ensure "consistency with the Department's overall strategy on reducing violent crime." ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROFILE Pernod Ricard USA Two decades ago, Pernod Ricard was barely a speck on the radar in the United States. Then known as Austin Nichols, the company was a small player with a very low proile. But over the years, Pernod Ricard USA quietly has become bigger, stronger and more capable. Today, it's no secret that Pernod Ricard USA is a leader in the U.S. spirits and wine industry - with a growing market presence and a strong portfolio of premium brands - thanks to a decade of clever acquisitions, seamless integrations and organic growth. INDUSTRY News Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) TTB Newsletter | Weekly News (April 7)

Allied Market Research Alcoholic Beverages Market Expected to Reach $1,594 Billion Globally by 2022

Brewers Association 20% Market Share by 2020 for Craft Beer Now a "Long Shot"

Center for Alcohol Policy Center for Alcohol Policy Marks Alcohol Awareness Month

National Alcohol Beverage Control Association NABCA, MADD & Nationwide Release 5 New Topical Guides During Prom Season and Alcohol Awareness Month

NACS - The Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing New Menu Labeling Regulations Webinar

National Beer Wholesalers Association Nominations Open for NBWA Brewer Partner of the Year Award

Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits Contributes $150 Million Toward Scholarship AFFILIATE News Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb Addresses Cold Beer Proposals The Indiana cold beer debate has caught the attention of Governor Eric Holcomb. This month, a gas station started selling cold beer. This prompted a House and Senate committee to introduce amendments to stop it. As lawmakers work on the loophole, Governor Holcomb spoke to 24-Hour News 8 at his residence Friday and said the gas station, and Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission did nothing wrong.

ABC Stores of South Carolina South Carolina Liquor License Limit Overturned The South Carolina Supreme Court struck down a state law limiting retailers from opening more than three liquor stores, finding that lawmakers went too far by enacting the regulation. Wednesday's ruling comes as a result of Total Wine & More's parent company challenging the statute in 2015 after the South Carolina Department of Revenue denied its application for a fourth liquor license. ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROFILE ABL and Intellicheck Mobilisa have joined in a new partnership to address the ongoing issue of underage access to alcohol. Building on ABL's many efforts to support responsible, age- restricted beverage retailing, Intellicheck is offering its Age ID™ solution to improve customer service and ensure compliance with state regulatory laws by instantly authenticating a customer's identity and age via a mobile device or integrated with a point of sale instrument. The ability to spot fake or altered identiication and to positively verify a consumer's age in real time provides ABL members with a valuable solution for keeping alcohol out of underage hands. For more information, please click here. STATE News Colorado: Bill to Allow Liquor Stores to Multiply Their Locations Dies in Colorado Legislature Members of the Colorado Senate on Thursday told liquor stores they'll have to be happy with the cap that exists in law. The move comes after they first barred Walmart and Target from expanding the number of alcohol-sales licenses they can get. Without comment as to why, the Senate Appropriations Committee killed Senate Bill 199, sponsored by Republican Sen. Tim Neville of Littleton and Democratic Sen. Andy Kerr of Lakewood, by a margin of 4-3.

Connecticut: "Connecticut Craft Beer" Passes House With little debate, an apparently thirsty House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation that would allow farmers to brew and sell beer similar to the way that some now make and market their own wine. Passed 146-0, the bill, which heads to the Senate, would allow brewers to claim their products as "Connecticut Craft Beer" if at least 25 percent of their brews' ingredients was grown in the state.

Florida: Liquor Fight Turns to Convenience Stores Should Florida allow Wawa, 7-Eleven or the neighborhood Joe's Garage, where customers can now buy a six-pack and fill up the car, to also stock fifths of vodka, tequila and rum? The prolonged legislative battle over repealing a Depression-era law known as the "liquor wall," which prohibits mixing liquor with groceries in one- stop shopping experiences, has moved from a fight among giant retailers to lawmakers arguing over spirits at gas stations.

Florida: Senators Hoist Bills on Beer Glasses, Distilleries Legislation that would allow distributors to give away free branded beer glasses and a measure that would lift a bottle limit on gin, vodka and other distilled sold at Florida craft distilleries cleared a Senate committee on Monday. The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee voted 6-1 for a bill (SB 1040) by Sen. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, that would let beer distributors give away up to five cases of 24 branded glasses each year for each beer brand to bars, restaurants and other retailers.

Florida: Lawmakers Seek Review of Havana Club Trademark Case A Florida Congressional delegation is seeking to reverse a 2016 decision granting Pernod Ricard and its Cuban partner, Cubaexport, a license to register the Havana Club rum trademark in the U.S. The bipartisan delegation, comprised of 25 House representatives, has asked the Trump administration to revoke the license, alleging that the trademark's rightful ownership remains in question, and that further investigation is required.

Florida: Universal Steps into Capitol Beer Battle Universal Orlando is stepping into the middle of a fight between beer makers and distributors over legislation that would allow brewers to sponsor rides or events at major theme parks. The bill (SB 388) seeks to carve out an exemption for theme parks to a Prohibition-era law, known as "tied house evil," that bans brewers from giving gifts or special deals to retail sellers. In Britain, a "tied house" is a bar required to sell beer from a particular company.

Indiana: Gov. Eric Holcomb Says State Followed Law on Cold Beer Gov. Eric Holcomb on Friday defended his administration's decision to allow cold beer sales at two Ricker's convenience stores. "The state of Indiana has followed the law," he said during a media availability at the governor's residence. "I'm confident we have acted within the law and administrated it correctly." He said he also believes Ricker's, which has 56 stores across the state, followed the law.

Indiana: Cold Beer Battle Brewing After Indiana GOP Leaders Offer Final Bill A battle is brewing at the Indiana Statehouse as lawmakers worked Wednesday to keep legislation alive that addresses a legal loophole used by Ricker's convenience stores to sell cold beer. Both chambers faced a procedural deadline to make changes to bills they want to keep alive. What emerged from House and Senate floor sessions were two different approaches, with one chamber - the House - calling for a study on overhauling the state's complicated alcohol laws. The final details will be worked out in the days ahead as the legislative session draws to a close in roughly two weeks

Kansas: House Passes Bill Overhauling Strong-Beer Sales in Kansas The House approved on emergency final action a bill Thursday delivering to convenience, grocery and drug stores entry into the strong-beer market in Kansas and granting liquor stores authority to begin selling cigarettes and other nonalcoholic merchandise. The bill was forwarded on a vote of 80-45 to the Senate, where a substantive shift in regulation of the liquor industry might not be so readily toasted.

Michigan: Liquor Home Delivery Now Legal in Michigan for Some Retailers As of Wednesday, Michigan retailers may now deliver spirits to your home if they meet certain licensing requirements. Already it's creating a buzz in one Wyoming neighborhood. Speaking with a pair of regular customers Friday, owners of Galewood Foods in Wyoming, brothers Paras and Sharan Chhabra tell FOX 17 they're offering home delivery now as a service, not a money-maker. Galewood Foods is a liquor store, originally a market, located at 1149 Burton St. SW.

Michigan: Law Enforcement Express Concerns Over Taking Away Breathalyzer Penalties Members of law enforcement are concerned about a bill waiting for a vote in a state House committee. The bill would take away the penalty for drivers who refuses a roadside breathalyzer test. Bill sponsor, Republican Representative Peter Lucido says the portable breath test, or PBT, is unreliable and shouldn't be used. Members of different branches of law enforcement disagree.

Montana: Senate Panel Cuts Back Number of Beer Barrels A state Senate panel on Tuesday made cuts to a bill that proposed allowing craft brewers to make 12,000 barrels of beer a year instead of the 60,000 they requested, and they increased the tax those brewers will have to pay. House Bill 541's sponsor, Rep. Adam Hertz, R-Missoula, said the move by the Business and Labor Committee left the state's 62 craft brewers with "essentially nothing."

Montana: Production Cap on Breweries Could Be Raised After Panic Earlier in the Week An effort to increase the number of barrels of beer Montana breweries can produce each year appears to be back on track after what some are calling a "backroom deal" Thursday morning. Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas, from Stevensville, said a meeting between breweries, members of the state tavern association and distributors reached an agreement that increases the number of barrels a brewery can produce a year to 60,000.

Nebraska: State's Largest Alcohol Auction on Record Set to Begin The final countdown is on as Nebraska's largest alcohol auction on record gets underway. "It has been a lot of work," Shayne Fili said. "We're always up for a pretty good challenge. We love stuff like this." Fili is the owner and president of Auction Solutions. She said they were ready to go as they liquidate more than 17,000 bottles of wine, beer and liquor from Brix's Village Pointe location on Friday and Saturday.

New Hampshire: NH Liquor Commission & Jack Daniel's to Launch Third Annual Live Free & Host Responsibly Campaign The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey are teaming up for the third straight year on the award-winning Live Free & Host Responsibly campaign, which encourages responsible alcohol service and consumption. When the innovative and interactive effort launched in 2015, it marked the first time a control state had partnered with a fine wine and spirits company on a responsibility initiative.

North Carolina: State Considers Raising Tobacco Buying Age to 21 This week, North Carolina became the ninth state to look at raising the tobacco buying age to 21 so far in 2017, the North State Journal reports. State Rep. George Murphy introduced the bill, which has three other co-sponsors: Reps. Holly Grange, Bert Jones and Donny Lambeth. "More than 90% of smokers become addicted prior to the age of 21, and recently North Carolina ranked second in the country in people aged 18-25 who used tobacco products for the first time," Murphy said.

Oklahoma: Proposed Oklahoma Legislation Would Criminalize Refusing Breath Test A bill that would make drunk driving laws stricter is making its way through the state legislature. "I think there should be a law to make drunk driving more strict here because there's too many drunks on the road," Muldrow resident Wanda Eads said. That is exactly what Senate Bill 643 hopes to accomplish. The proposed legislation would criminalize people who refuse to take a breath test to determine if they are drunk.

Oklahoma: Wholesale Price of Wine, Liquor Rising in Oklahoma One local liquor store owner said prices of wine and spirits are skyrocketing and will continue to do so because of the passage of State Question 792 in November 2016. Those price increases are happening at the wholesale level, with the companies who sell the alcohol to liquor stores across the state. JP Richard with Cache Road Liquor said since SQ792 passed, two liquor wholesalers have closed and the price of liquor has gone up almost four percent, with the price of wine going up about 5 percent.

Oregon: Residents Cash in on Hike in Bottle, Can Refunds Some of the most thrifty, eco-conscious Oregon residents, each hauling hundreds of used water bottles and soda cans in trash bags and carts, flocked to bottle-recycling centers and grocery stores Saturday - the first day the per-bottle refund rate doubled to 10 cents. Oregon was the first state in the nation to give 5-cent refunds for recycling used soda cans and glass bottles more than 45 years ago through its so- called Bottle Bill.

Oregon: Bill Would Ban Alcohol on Oregon Beaches A bill introduced in the Oregon House of Representatives would ban the use of alcohol on the state's public beaches. House Bill 3441 would make it a crime to possess or consume alcohol, or to possess or discard "an alcohol container or any glass bottle designed to contain a drink or beverage," punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,250. Currently, drinking alcohol is allowed on Oregon beaches for people 21 and over.

Pennsylvania: New Bill Would Allow Grocery & Convenience Stores to Sell Hard Liquor Instead of just wine for sale at your local grocery store, convenience store, or restaurant bar, how about a fifth of vodka, gin, or bourbon? "This simply provides more choice for consumers in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Reese told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Monday. Reese, a Mt. Pleasant Republican, says it's time to do for spirits what the state did for wine.

Pennsylvania: 'To-Go' Liquor Proposal Might Get Another Shot A key House lawmaker on state liquor policy is "cautiously optimistic" that this could be the year consumers could purchase liquor "to-go" at stores outside the state-controlled system. It's been a goal of some governors and lawmakers going back to at least the early 1980s, but for decades proponents have come up short. "We made some great strides forward the past few years, so I'm hoping the momentum is there to keep going," said Rep. Adam Harris, R-Juniata County, the chairman of the House Liquor Control Committee.

Pennsylvania: Committee Approves Liquor Privatization Bills In a state Capitol room full of union members opposed to the legislation, the House Liquor Control Committee on Monday approved two bills whose sponsors believe are building on the liquor reforms of Act 39 of 2016. Near party-line 14-12 committee votes approved both House Bill 438, which would allow restaurants and hotels to sell up to four bottles of spirits, and House Bill 991, which could result in 2,000 retail stores legally selling wine and spirits in addition to the 600 state liquor stores.

Rhode Island: Bill Adds Alcohol Overdose to Good Samaritan Law A bill to add alcohol-related overdoses to Rhode Island's Good Samaritan Act is moving forward. The law currently provides legal protections for those who seek medical help for someone who has overdosed on drugs. The bill was passed by the Senate last night and now goes to the House where companion legislation has been introduced.

South Carolina: 'There's No Way We Could Compete,' ABC Store Owner Says of New State Ruling A state Supreme Court ruling could have a big impact on liquor stores in South Carolina. The court overturned a decades-old law that limits how many liquor licenses a business can own. Some store owners say they fear bigger chains could put them out of business. Don Cegielski opened his ABC shop last year and says the new law has major consequences for his store. "I just don't think it's right. It's ridiculous," said Don Cegielski, owner of Don's Wine and Liquor.

Texas: Despite Concerns, Texas Legislators Push to Regulate Powdered Alcohol Andrea Marquez came to a House committee hearing Monday armed with three things: Kool-Aid packets, her makeup bag and a big bottle of Jack Daniels. The 17- year-old high school student from El Paso told the House Licensing and Administrative Committee hearing Monday that the Kool-Aid pouches were the same size as packets that could hold powdered alcohol - a form of dehydrated booze that can be mixed with water, soda or .

Texas: Jet Setting Liquor Regulators Could See Wings Clipped by Lawmakers The jet-setting brass of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which has spent tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars attending meetings and hosting conferences that featured open bars, mariachis and square dancers - largely paid for with liquor industry money - is facing some buzz-killing proposals in the Texas House of Representatives. State Rep. Jason Isaac, R-Dripping Springs, and Rep. Ramon Romero, D-Fort Worth, this week filed amendments cutting off future out-of-state travel by TABC.

Texas: State Senator Pushes to Abolish Liquor Store Ownership Limits Sen. Brian Birdwell is unsure of how many times his package store bill has been introduced to the legislature, but he knows it's been at least five times - three of them by other senators before he picked up the issue. The Senate Business & Commerce Committee voted 5-0 Thursday to report SB 750 to the full Senate. The bill, similar to one filed by Sen. Kelly Hancock, eliminates two Alcoholic Beverage Code provisions that critics say maintain an unlevel playing field for liquor businesses.

Wyoming: Liquor Law Changes Presented at Meeting The state of Wyoming will no longer regulate the hours of operation for bars and other establishments selling liquor as of July 1. That will be decided by the counties and municipalities under laws passed by the Legislature earlier this year. That's one of several major changes in Wyoming's liquor laws that were explained in a meeting Monday night at the Sheridan County Courthouse. ASSOCIATE MEMBER PROFILE ABL has partnered with Fintech, the leading provider of electronic data and payments solutions to the alcohol industry, to provide a secure, affordable and hassle- free way for ABL members to pay for alcohol deliveries electronically and improve the beverage alcohol purchasing process. Under the program, ABL members are eligible for a discount on Fintech's electronic payment and data solutions systems. For more information, please click here. BUSINESS & LIFESTYLE News Drizly Wants to Deliver Liquor, Beer, and Wine to the World. So Far, So Good It sounds too good to be true: cases of beer delivered for parties; a bottle of wine shows up at the door while you're finishing dinner for a few close friends; that coveted bottle of whiskey tracked down without dozens of calls around town. Drizly is the lazy drinker's best friend on a rainy weekend. The app-based delivery service specializes in connecting would-be drinkers with wine, beer, and liquor shops in their area, in order to deliver the goods without making you leave your house.

Retailers Confront the Secondary Market By now it's a familiar scenario: a retailer receives a small allocation of a limited-release (e)y, sells it at the appropriate retail price, and then sees the product sold online at double or more the original price. In April of last year, social media giant Facebook moved to shut down groups that fostered this illegal practice, as secondary market sales of whisk(e)y and craft beer were flourishing on the site and reaping tidy profits for sellers of highly sought-after bottles. The Facebook effort helped stem the trend for a while, but when demand is high and supply is short, sellers will find a way. Prominent retailers say the secondary market continues to thrive, despite the efforts to stop it.

What Makes the Mocktail A number of your guests have many different good reasons for why they may not be drinking alcohol at your restaurant tonight. But as a restaurant operator, you don't really have one good reason for saving all the good drinks - with complex flavors, wild flourishes and curated bitters - for your drinking guests. To do so means missed opportunities by the gallon in terms of being inclusive, extending your brand and boosting sales.

Why Millennials Can't Get Enough Wine The three friends, all in their late 20s, were enjoying their annual weekend getaway. But they weren't lounging by a pool, getting tipsy on beer or sugary . Instead, they were out in the sun, sipping wine at Acorn Winery in Sonoma County, Calif., during a recent Barrel Tasting weekend. They were talking about wine with the people who make it, and they were sampling it, sometimes straight from the barrel, at more than 100 wineries. DISTRIBUTION News Indiana: Avery Brewing Expands Distribution to Indianapolis

Minnesota: Harpoon's UFO Beer Launches in Minnesota

New Jersey: Cigar City Brewing Expands Distribution to New Jersey

Texas: NOLA Brewing Co. Expands Distribution to Texas

Washington, D.C.: D9 Brewing Expands Its Sour Beer Distribution to Washington, D.C.