Hearing on bill to shift taproom hours set Thursday morning
The Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs Committee will hear Senate Bill 202 by Sen. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, at 9 a.m. Thursday in Room 422 at the Capitol in Helena. As written about before, the measure aims to shift taproom hours from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. to noon-10 p.m. If you support the bill there are a couple of things you can do. First, you can attend the hearing and tell the panel why this bill is good for Montana. Second, you can contact your lawmaker and let them know you want this legislation to pass. Here’s a list of the committee members and their e-mail addresses:
- Chaiman Joe Balyeat, R-Bozeman, joebalyeat@yahoo.com
- Vice Chairman Verdell Jackson, R-Kalispell, vjack@centurytel.net
- Carmine Mowbray, R-Polson, clarity@cyberport.net
- Tom Facey, D-Missoula, facey_tom@hotmail.com
- Eric Moore, R-Miles City, mail@senatorericmoore.com
- Donald Steinbeisser, R-Sidney, donstein@midrivers.com
- Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency, apsaalookewomen@yahoo.com
- Mitch Tropila, D-Great Falls, tropila@mt.net
- Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell, tutvedt@montanasky.us
- Gene Vuckovich, D-Anaconda, mt.sd43@gmail.com
- Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, windyboy_j@yahoo.com
And here are a few points about the bill provided by the Montana Brewers Association:
- Meets the expectations of Montanans and better fits visiting public and tourist’s schedule
- We will still be limited to 48 ounces per person per day, and are not asking to increase this limitation. Only three pints. If they want more, they must go elsewhere.
- Aligns with neighboring and regional state laws, which have no hours restrictions
- Aligns with Montana wineries laws, which have no serving hours restrictions
- Provides for growth in the use of Montana grown agricultural products. Montana brewers use over 5,000,000 pounds of grain in their beer, approximately half of which is grown in Montana.
- Will create jobs at Montana breweries in serving staff and brewery staff
- Will create new investments and increase production at breweries on which excise and income taxes are paid
Be sure to take a second to vote on the poll that’s down the right side on the proposed shift in hours.
- Matt Pritchard
Comments