HB1329? Nahhh, it's different this time. SB7120

Well, looks like a new senate bill is being proposed and going to a vote on Monday.
It's basically HB1329 reincarnated.
http://www.craftbeer.com/action-ale...r-activists-support-your-states-small-brewers

Make those calls, send those e-mails! Fight the good fight or you can't bitch when it passes and all these little breweries disappear.

 

First Mr. Don Gaetz, the senate president:
http://flsenate.gov/Senators/s1
(850) 897-5747

I've already spoken to his assistant about his stance on HB1329, she was already very familiar with the quote below so they are feeling some pressure.

Then your senators:
http://flsenate.gov/Senators/Find

There is a quote from Don Gaetz:
"I'm with the beer distributors in my district," Gaetz said recently. "That's a very important issue because one of my very best friends is an Anheuser-Busch distributor and he never talks to me about his business. It's always about what are we going to do for disabled children, what are we going to do for the arts, what are we going to do for economic development. But this time he's talking about growlers."

 

Alright so this SB is going to consideration Wednesday, not Monday.
Some people have received replies from Don Gaetz, he has his spin machine running trying to explain how these bills will benefit us:
"Dear Ms. [removed for privacy],

Thanks very much for taking time to write and share with me your opposition to Senate Proposed Bill 7120, sponsored by the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries, which focuses on craft brewery growlers. SPB 7120 is due to come before this committee this week. Please feel free to follow the bill's progress by going to:http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2014/7120

If this bill is approved by the committee, it will then be assigned to more committees before heading to the Senate floor. As you may know, as Senate President, I do not sit on any committees. However, I do retain a vote on the Senate floor. If this bill travels to the floor for final approval, I will certainly keep your views in mind.

As you may know through the legislation I authored, S.B. 2156, of which the Oil Spill Recovery Act was an important component, a local craft brewery in Rosemary Beach received state funding to expand their operations to begin manufacturing beer in house. This company, Grayton Beer Company, LLC, was established in 2010 and specializes in the sale, marketing and distribution of craft beer.

Grayton Beer Company qualified for a $542,000 award from the Industry Recruitment, Retention and Expansion Fund (IRREF) Grant Program, through the Oil Spill Recovery Act, which is administered by the University of West Florida. The multi-year expansion will result in 40 new jobs with annual wages averaging more than $42,855, which is over 150 percent of Walton County's annual average wage. Grayton Beer Company will also invest over $1.2 million in production and packaging equipment and enhancements for their new 30,000 square foot building. Separately, the state approved for Grayton Beer Company for a $280,000 Qualified Target Industry (QTI) tax refund during the next five years as an incentive for creating the jobs.

Again, thank you for taking writing. Your comments, criticisms, and guidance make me a better Senator.

Respectfully,

Don Gaetz
"

 

I got a response from Grayton:
Grayton Beer Company: Brian Ge, Sen. Gaetz did steer $30mm from BP towards economic development in the region that was adversely affected by the oil spill. We were able to take advantage of funds at the request our local economic development council. I can assure you that he did not author SB 2156 with Grayton Beer Company in mind. He has further stated on the record that he supports the wholesalers in his region and has yet to go on the record as supporting the 4 breweries in his region. I have reached out to the senator and to the wholesalers and look forward to working with all of them to form meaningful legislation that protects everyone's interests. I do not support SB7120, which is the senate's version of HB1329, which was written unilaterally by the In-Bev wholesalers. And as we exercise our right to object to proposed legislation, everyone should keep in mind that by and large, our representatives do many positive things for their constituents.

So they are against this, and are calling BS on his e-mail.

I sent him this e-mail:

 

Me too, he responded with the same response. Grayton themselves states he didn't author the bill that helped them, I cited their response and he just ignored it all.

 

Watch it live: http://www.flsenate.gov/Media/Videoplayer?EventID=2443575804_2014031428