There are no such things as total victories when it comes to the annual legislative session in Santa Fe, but New Mexico’s craft breweries will take a small win from Monday’s House Taxation and Revenue Committee. “There was an amendment proposed by one of the representatives excluding people that have a small brewer license, winegrower…
Category: Beer and Government
Legislative recap: Brewing industry left pleased with results of this session
There was a big sigh of relief last weekend when the 2023 New Mexico state legislative session came to a close. It was not just from the media covering it, or the legislators and lobbyists who participated in it, but from numerous business groups around the state, including the New Mexico Brewers Guild. I caught…
Legislative Update: Rowley Farmhouse Ales offers another perspective on HB 343
The legislature is close to wrapping up for the 2023 session, but the folks at Rowley Farmhouse Ales asked if I would sit down and have a chat with them about House Bill 343, a bill they are working to get passed. To be fair, I didn’t know anything about the bill, only that there…
Legislative update: Sorting through all the bills that could affect the breweries
Unless you purposely avoid the news these days, you are probably aware that there is a 60-day legislative session going on in Santa Fe at present. As in years past, there are bills moving through the system that could have a significant impact on breweries, and keeping track of everything can be a wee bit…
Small brewer license renewals come with a surprise for some this year
Back in 2019, Senate Bill 413 was passed, which had a potentially profound effect on breweries throughout New Mexico. One of its key provisions was a new requirement for every brewery to produce a minimum of 50 barrels per year, or at least have its own beers account for 50 percent of total alcohol sales….
Breweries in Burque suburbs react to newly passed liquor laws
A few weeks ago, readers asked us if the breweries were going to comment publicly on House Bill 255, which included alcohol delivery and other changes to some long-standing liquor laws in New Mexico. The breweries declined comment at the time, and the New Mexico Brewers Guild later sent out an email asking them not…
Senator Heinrich takes time to discuss the big issues with NM Brewers Guild
Senator Martin Heinrich was in Albuquerque last week, and representatives of the New Mexico Brewers Guild were able to set up a meeting with him to talk all things craft beer in regards to the federal government. Tractor Brewing co-owner/president Skye Devore spearheaded the event, which was held inside the brewery at Wells Park. The…
Craft breweries rejoice after Senate Bill 413 is signed into law
The good news broke Wednesday night at the top of the page listing bills signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham. Senate Bill 413, which we profiled just recently, got the signature that craft breweries were hoping for and will become effective on July 1. To sum up the benefits of the bill, breweries will…
Craft breweries are governor’s signature away from legislative victory
Senate Bill 413 is one of many sitting on the desk of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham after the completion of the 2019 Legislative Session. It is, however, the one that will specifically affect our craft breweries, in a very good way, if it obtains her signature. I sat down with Tractor Brewing co-owner/president Skye…
Tax reform may be coming to breweries across America
The Crew received some promising news from the Brewers Association late last week. No, really, good news from Washington D.C. arrived in our mailbox. The BA has been working with members of Congress to pass the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act. Now it appears that they will actually get this thing through both…