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…
Category: Beer and Government
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…
NM breweries avoid any possible increase in excise taxes
Glorious news from Santa Fe, as House Bill 398, the last remaining piece of legislation aimed at increasing the excise tax on local breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries, has been tabled in committee. HB398 was squashed by a 5-2 vote in the House Health & Human Services Committee this morning. The bill seemed to stand…
One bill down, one bill remains at NM State Legislature
Pardon the delay, computers/wireless were down at work for most of the morning. Here is the official statement from the New Mexico Brewers Guild on last night’s committee hearing regarding SB314: SB 314 was finally debated yesterday evening, beginning at 8 p.m., in a hearing that resulted in the bill being tabled by a majority vote…
DARK SIDE BREW CREW 