Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Stay informed on the latest beer industry, legislative, government affairs and legal news, including updates on the Brewers Association and NBWA. Understand the evolving beverage alcohol regulatory and legal environment that can directly impact your distribution, retail efforts, intellectual property, packaging and ingredients.

Submit Legislative News
If you have insights into recent regulatory or legislative news related to the beer or beverage-alcohol industry, please submit your news to your team.

Featured Legislative, Government Affairs & Legal Updates Content

Bart Watson: If You’re Trying to Ride Out This Wave, ‘You Should Probably Reconsider’

Bart Watson: If You’re Trying to Ride Out This Wave, ‘You Should Probably Reconsider’

Anyone looking for an answer to when craft’s current era of compounding hurdles and declines will come to an end received a reality check Wednesday during Brewers Association (BA) president and CEO Bart Watson’s state of the industry address, held at the start of Day 2 of the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Indianapolis.

Additional Content

Beer Category Health Initiative Jeopardized by Bud Light’s Corn Syrup Ads

Beer Category Health Initiative Jeopardized by Bud Light’s Corn Syrup Ads

The fragile alliance among the United States’ largest beer producers is at risk following Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Super Bowl ads for Bud Light that highlighted its ingredients and the use of corn syrup in competitor offerings Coors Light and Miller Lite, made by MillerCoors.

Last Call: Receiver Reaches Agreement to Sell DME Group’s Main Business

Last Call: Receiver Reaches Agreement to Sell DME Group’s Main Business

In this week’s edition of Last Call: Alvarez & Marsal reaches an agreement to sell DME Group’s main business; lawmakers threaten to limit dates for Boston beer gardens; and the U.S. House introduces the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

US Senators Seek Permanent Tax Relief for Alcohol Producers

US Senators Seek Permanent Tax Relief for Alcohol Producers

With tax breaks for alcohol producers set to expire at the end of 2019, the push to make excise tax relief permanent officially started today as the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act (CBMTRA) was reintroduced into the U.S. Senate by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Roy Blunt (R-MO).

Brewers Association Encourages Craft Beer Supporters to Adopt Seal

Brewers Association Encourages Craft Beer Supporters to Adopt Seal

Nine months after urging retailers to adopt its independence seal, the Brewers Association (BA) today launched an extension of that campaign, encouraging state guilds, beer festivals, homebrew shops and other craft beer supporters to adopt a modified version of its original badge.

US Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Tennessee Residency Requirement Dispute

US Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Tennessee Residency Requirement Dispute

A century after the ratification of Prohibition, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could have wide-ranging effects on the three-tier system. On Wednesday, the court heard arguments in Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Association vs. Blair. At issue in the case is the constitutionality of the state of Tennessee’s two-year residency requirement for obtaining a liquor license. Additionally, the state requires a decade of residency for the renewal of liquor licenses, which expire after one year.

Brewers Association Awards More than $500,000 in Research Grants

Brewers Association Awards More than $500,000 in Research Grants

The Brewers Association (BA) has awarded more than a half a million dollars in research grants to groups focused on barley and hops development. The BA, a not-for-profit trade group representing the interests of small and independent U.S. beer companies, said the 17 grants given through its Research and Service Grants Program would “further the development of a healthy and sustainable raw materials supply chain.”

The 12 Most-Read Brewbound Stories of 2018

The 12 Most-Read Brewbound Stories of 2018

Industry headwinds, brewery acquisitions, the emerging cannabis sector, and the seemingly never ending battle between big and small beer makers were the focus of Brewbound’s most-read stories of 2018.