Alaska House approves major update to alcohol laws, including changes for breweries

The president of the Alaska Brewers Guild held his head in his hands, the Senate president laughed and smiled, and the head of Alaska’s largest alcohol trade organization exchanged high-fives with lawmakers as the Alaska House decisively ended 10 years of struggle by passing a sweeping reform of the state’s alcohol laws.

“I think we’re all ready to move on,” said Rep. James Kaufman, R-Anchorage, who carried the bill in the House.

Senate Bill 9, approved 35-2 by the House on Sunday evening, comprehensively changes the way Alaska regulates alcohol-serving businesses and punishes them if things go wrong.

The customers of Alaska’s bars, breweries, distilleries and liquor stores will see few immediate changes, but those involved in the alcohol industry — including the people who regulate it and public health organizations who deal with its problems — say it will modernize the state’s industry.

Read more: https://alaskabeacon.com/2022/05/15/alaska-house-approves-major-update-to-alcohol-laws-including-changes-for-breweries/