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2023 SESSION

23102118D
SENATE BILL NO. 885
Offered January 11, 2023
Prefiled January 4, 2023
A BILL to direct the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to convene a work group to study an alternative beer distribution program; report.
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Patrons-- Favola and Reeves
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. § 1. That the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (the Authority), in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Department), shall convene a work group to evaluate alternative avenues of distribution that could be made available to limited brewery and certain brewery licensees. The Authority shall include in the work group two members of the House Committee on General Laws, one of whom shall be a member of the majority party and one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the House Committee on General Laws, two members of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, one of whom shall be a member of the majority party and one of whom shall be a member of the minority party, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules upon the recommendation of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, the Executive Director of the Virginia Beer Wholesalers Association, the Executive Director of the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, the Executive Director of the Virginia Wineries Association, the Executive Director of the Virginia Wine Wholesalers Association, at least one representative of a limited brewery licensee, at least one representative of a beer wholesaler, and other relevant stakeholders. The work group shall develop a legislative proposal for an alternative beer distribution model that includes (i) analysis of a distribution program similar to the Virginia Winery Distribution Company; (ii) criteria for determining which limited brewery or brewery licensees will be eligible to participate in the distribution program; (iii) criteria for determining which products and the quantity of products that may be distributed through the program; (iv) an implementation plan that includes all actions, including the phasing and sequencing of actions, necessary to make the distribution program operational; (v) a funding model; and (vi) resolution of all issues that remain to be undertaken from the Department's work group required by Chapter 334 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022. The Authority shall report its findings and recommendations to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services by September 15, 2023.