Dirty Greek - Pop The Cap! Bill Passes ABC Committee!

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Dirty Greek - Pop The Cap! Bill Passes ABC Committee!

Tarheel State : Pop The Cap! Bill Passes ABC Committee!

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UPDATE: Bill passed ABC Committee 5-3! It now goes to the house floor to be voted on next week!

We're growing ever closer to removing the 6% alcohol limit from beer in North Carolina. Unfortunately in compromise they've not removed the cap, but changed it to 15%. Still, if that passes, it will open the state to "99.98% of all beer" according to the guys and gals at Pop The Cap.

Highlights:

* the PTC bill (HB392) passed 18-11 in the House Commerce committee.

* to ameliorate unjustified concerns about sky-high beer ABV, the House committee amended the bill to a 15% ABV cap. Just like Ohio, just like Georgia. Yes, it's arbitrary. But it's politics...our one thing we could proactively leverage to get votes from legislators who just aren't comfortable with beer sans cap. This allows 99.98% of all beer into our state.

* Also, Reverend Creech from the Christian Action League continues to be against the bill. In spite of the labeling requirements, I think he'll continue to lobby against it. That's fine; it's his right to voice his opinion.

* HB392 was amended slightly: the bill now requires beers over 6% ABV to have the alcohol percentage disclosed on the label. This is a non-issue, since most bigger beers already have the ABV listed on it. Labeling is required in eight states, including California, Oregon and Maryland.

* an interest group was trying to incorporate taxation measures into the bill, which would have killed our chances. Their attempts to deride the bill were defeated.

* media coverage continues to be good, and we believe we have the momentum to take the bill to passage within the next month or two.

In other news, South Carolina is trying to pass a similar bill!