[mob] [Fwd: gwcb-list: HB 645: Time to poop or get off the pot]

[Robbie Honerkamp <robbie@shorty.com>]

Georgians for World Class Beer is supporting a bill to redefine the 
legal definition of beer in Georgia. This would allow Georgia stores to 
sell beer with a higher alcohol content than 6% (the current limit). 
Right now a large amount of really good European beers cannot be sold in 
Georgia because of the law. Other surrounding states such as Tennessee 
already allow the sale of these beers.

This bill always faces an uphill battle as many state representatives 
try to portray this legislation as promoting teenage drinking or other 
nonsense. So please, please, please call your state representative today 
and voice your support!

Robbie

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: gwcb-list: HB 645: Time to poop or get off the pot
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 12:12:28 -0500
From: Hull, Ted <THull@brwncald.com> (by way of John Lock 
<jlock@relevantarts.com>)
To: no-limits@beerinfo.com, gwcb-list@beerinfo.com

All:

In case you haven't been following the news at
http://www.beerinfo.com/worldclassbeer
<http://www.beerinfo.com/worldclassbeer> , HB 645 lives or dies early next
week.  Tuesday is the 33rd day of the session, which is the cutoff for bills
to pass in one house and be considered in the other.  Ones that don't pass
start the process over come January 2004.

We believe we have a commitment that HB 645 will make it out of Rules for a
vote by the full House on Tuesday (the Monday calendar is already set).

That means that *everyone* needs to call their representative(s) in support
by Monday at the latest. Task two is to tell everyone you know to do the
same. That's even more important if you're outside the central part of
Atlanta.  Use the tools on our site to find contact information.

We're hitting lots of brewpubs, beer bars, and retailers across the state
with handbills to provide to customers asking them to do the same.

Your calls really do make a difference. Please follow the list below
(revenue and good for business are the key points, given the current
economic outlook).

That said, there are a few sponsors who don't need to be called:

Stephanie Stuckey-Benfield
Darryl Jordan
David Graves
Carl Von Epps
Pat Gardner
Nick Moraitakis
Jill Chambers

Pester the rest. Thanks. Let us know if you have questions.

Ted

Why Georgia Should Update Its Legal Definition Of "Beer"

1.       It will be good for Georgia and Georgia businesses. Georgia loses
tax revenue and Georgia businesses currently lose sales to both Florida and
Tennessee, which allow gourmet beers to be sold.

2.       Georgia is in a tiny minority.  A total of 38 states and the
District of Columbia do not limit beer sales by setting an alcohol limit
like Georgia does with its 6% limit.

3.       Existing brands will not become stronger in Georgia as a result of
this change. Roughly 97% of the beer sold in the U. S. fits into a category
called "light lager." Alcohol laws vary from state to state. Yet these beers
do not vary from state to state, because producing them at a higher alcohol
content would raise the cost to the consumer and decrease sales.

4.       Gourmet beers are less likely to be abused. The same quantity of
alcohol costs 2 to 10 times as much in a gourmet beer as in beers and
spirits already on Georgia shelves. A recent study by the Center for Alcohol
and Substance Abuse at Columbia University stated that price is the key
deterrent to alcohol abuse.

5.       Georgia can only win from this change. Removing this
Prohibition-era restriction will allow our image as an international
destination to improve with both foreign and American visitors.

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