HBG gives you the skinny on Sunday carry-out sales from Indiana micros.

Carry-out beer sales from participating (and eligible) microbreweries and brewpubs begins this Sunday, July 4. Here's a handy compendium, which omits only one fact: Beginning July 1, we must see your identification to sell you a growler -- ANYTIME. That's the necessary legislative payback to the killjoy health fascist lobby, and really, a small price to pay for Sunday growler freedom in Indiana.

What Sunday Beer Sales Mean for Sunday Beer Drinking In Indiana (Hoosier Beer Geek blog)

No more election day blue law tomfoolery in Indiana.

For as long as I've been blogging, it has been necessary to remind readers prior to an Indiana primary or general election that because of the state's commitment to archaic blue laws, no beer could be served until the polls closed at 6:00 p.m.

No more. The law finally has been scrapped, and next Tuesday (May 4), both NABC locations will observe regular business hours sans beer tapping restrictions.

Rescinding the election day ban on alcohol sales is one part of legislation (the bill is called SB 75 and was described in detail here earlier in the year) that went into effect immediately upon signing. Another is the rationalization of Sunday serving hours (now the same each day of the week). Sunday growler sales for microbreweries and brewpubs start on Sunday, July 4.

More on that later. For now, know that next week, there'll be no waiting for Elector.

"Mug Shots" today in LEO: "Free at last, free at last."

Sara was thrilled when I finished a piece early for once. I think this is one of my better recent efforts.

Mug Shots: Free at last, free at last

In Indiana, amid the usual crazed politicking of the general assembly, something unexpected has happened. I half expect to awaken from a dream and find my fridge stocked with cheap American beer, because narrow rays of liberal sense and intelligibility have somehow evaded the scrutiny of society’s persistent naysayers — the Prohibitionists, the health fascists and the do-gooders forever banding together to pick at the carrion of over-regulated adult pleasures — and Senate Bill 75 has landed on the desk of Gov. Mitch Daniels, who is expected to sign it into law.

SB 75 passes 2nd reading in the House, should go up for 3rd today.

Rep. Ed Clere phoned last evening to tell me that SB 75 passed its second reading in the House and is scheduled for the third and final reading today. According to Ed, yesterday's success didn't guarantee final passage, but immeasurably increased the chances of passage.

Just so you can see how the bill has evolved, I'm reprinting the entire text below. The original bill absorbed two other alcohol-related measures, and has been amended several times, again with provisions pertaining to the state's alcoholic beverage statutes. I've separated the clauses for easier reading. For more on the bill's progress, go here: Senate Bill 75 - SUPER-DUPER-SIZED!

Now: Cross your fingers. I'll be waiting to hear from Ed, and I profusely thank him for his diligence both in supporting the bill and keeping information flowing back to us.

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Senate Bill 0075
2010 2nd Regular Session

DIGEST OF SB 75 (Updated February 22, 2010 5:05 pm - DI 92)

Alcoholic beverages.

Allows a microbrewery to sell the brewery's beer for carryout on Sunday at the address for which the brewer's permit was issued.

Allows alcoholic beverages to be sold on election days. Allows the holder of a retailer's permit to sell alcoholic beverages on Sunday from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. the following day. (Under current law, the holder of a retailer permit may sell alcoholic beverages on Sunday from 10 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. the following day).

Makes it a Class B misdemeanor for an alcoholic beverage permittee or permittee's employee or agent to recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally sell, barter, exchange, provide, or furnish another person alcoholic beverages for carryout without first requiring the person to produce proof that the person is at least 21 years of age by: (1) a driver's license; (2) a government issued identification card; or (3) a government issued document; that bears the person's photograph and birth date.

Provides that it is a defense in a criminal or administrative proceeding that the individual to whom the alcoholic beverages were sold appeared to be at least 50 years of age.

Provides that, in a criminal prosecution or proceeding before the alcohol and tobacco commission, it is a defense to a charge of unlawfully furnishing alcohol to a minor that the purchaser produced a government issued document bearing the purchaser's photograph and showing the purchaser to be at least 21 years of age.

Eliminates the requirement that a publicly owned airport be served by a scheduled commercial passenger airline in order for a restaurant located in the passenger terminal to be eligible for a permit to sell beer, wine, and liquor.

Allows an indoor theater located in a city having a population of more than 200,000 but less than 300,000 and that has been listed in the National Register of Historic places to: (1) be issued a one-way, two-way, or three-way permit to sell alcoholic beverages; and (2) to have children present.

Requires alcohol servers, retailer permittees, or management representatives of retailer or dealer permittees to complete alcohol server training by May 1, 2011. (Current law requires completion of the training by January 1, 2010.)

Requires an applicant for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages in Marion County to file with the local board verification from a department of the consolidated city designated by ordinance that the applicant is in compliance with zoning requirements for the premises to be licensed.(Current law requires verification from the department of metropolitan development.)

Current Status: Passed 2nd reading - 2nd House

Critical juncture for SB 75 may be coming on Monday.

Last evening I had the chance to chat briefly with Ed Clere, our District 72 State Representative, about SB 75.

It’s the bill we’ve been referring to as the “growler bill,” or the “Sunday carry-out for microbrewers” bill.

On Wednesday, SB 75 was considered by the House Committee on Public Policy and passed its first reading by a vote of 10-0. Two other alcohol-related bills have been added to our bill. Both passed their vettings to date with little dissent. One of them adjusts Sunday hours to match those stipulated for the remainder of the week. The other ends the prohibition of sales while the polls are open on Election Day.

Finally, two minor provisions pertaining to local conditions in Terre Haute and Ft. Wayne also have been attached to SB 75. I’m told that this sort of thing is normal, and should have no deleterious consequences.

So, in large measure, SB 75 remains “clean” in the sense of harboring no egregious amendments. However, according to Ed, this still might happen – especially during the 2nd reading, this time before the full House, and probably on Monday, February 22. He is of the opinion that if the 2nd reading hurdle is cleared, the 3rd reading (full House) and subsequent journey back to the point of origin in the Senate should come off without a hitch.

To repeat: Ed feels that the 2nd reading, probably on Monday, is the critical one. It is then that “bad” amendments and attachments are most likely to occur. If Indiana residents are reading, please take a few minutes to send an e-mail to your State Representative in support of SB 75 as it stands. The mood is optimistic. Parity may be just around the corner ...

Growlers on Sunday? SB 75 up for Senate vote today.

Afternoon update: SB 75 has passed through the Indiana Senate by a tally of 41-9. It's on to House committee)

The Indiana Senate will vote some time this afternoon on SB 75:

"Sunday carryout by microbreweries. Allows a microbrewery to sell the brewery's beer for carryout on Sunday at the address for which the brewer's permit was issued."

I'm pleased to note that on Tuesday, New Albany's Sen. Connie Sipes was added to the bill as co-author. She has indicated support. If we make it through today's vote, the process begins anew in the House.

I've been dropping lines to the three senators closest to us here in Southern Indiana. Their e-mail links are below if you'd like to do the same. "Please vote yes on SB 75" is sufficient as a message.

District 45 - points north and east: James Lewis
District 46 - New Albany and Floyd County: Connie Sipes
District 47 - points west: Richard Young

I'll return later today and update this post with the results.

Round One to craft brewers in Indiana: SB 75 passes in committee.

Previously at NA Confidential: “It’s a tourism issue and it’s a specialty item and it’s a true art.”

I intended to comment on SB 75 earlier, did so to some degree during a discussion of Election Day sales legislation, but didn't finish my thoughts. So ...

SB 75 passed in Indiana Senate committee on Wednesday afternoon, with a vote of 9-2. Senators Zakas and Delph dissented, the latter appending a statement of principle to his "nay", but with the former, who did not speak his mind on the bill, remaining silent. Sorry, but I find it hard to respect silence.

Interestingly, during my brief testimony before the committee, Senator Waltz (he voted "yes") jokingly asked me: "Have you at any time, or are you now, a Hoosier Beer Geek?" I responded in the affirmative, and wished I'd worn my "These Machines Kill Fascists" shirt, or at least brought a facsimile of Woody Guthrie's guitar. I have a feeling that neither Delph nor Zakas would have appreciated it, and that fact makes me almost as happy as Imperial Stout on a sub-zero afternoon.

My brief comments were restricted to elaborating on the joys of watching Hoosier tax revenue travel to Kentucky for deposit each and every Sunday of my working career, and seeing micros in Kentucky sell growlers on a day that we cannot.

Fear not: The Brewers of Indiana Guild made a strong case for relief based on parity with craft wineries (which can sell wine to go on Sunday), the artisanal nature of craft beer, the local impact of small business, the integral part that we've played in various downtown revivals, and the fact that tourism for the sake of craft beer is not a laughing matter at all. Among others, Senator Taylor noted that his mind had been changed by the strength of the presentation, and although Bud Light's still good enough for him, he can see the point and agrees with it.

That's good, because we're going to need both strong argumentation and a measure of plain good luck. In essence, we must sidestep the mega-lobbyists' current battle royale over the issue of Sunday carry-out sales in general, as it pertains to package stores, groceries and other macro-entities, and keep the topic restricted to microbrewing in particular, and our special position as artisans. As a guild, we don't have dogs in those fights, and we need to keep it that way.

Senators Simpson and Alting are powerful advocates of common sense, but they have rightly vowed to kill our bill if outside interests hijack it with amendments. There's no benefit to anyone hijacking it, but then again, politics isn't about logic. Conceivably, any grandstanding moralist in the Senate could amend the bill, and if a procedural appeal to remove the amendment is rejected, succeed in maneuvering us into keeping our word and removing it sans a vote on the actual merits.

Will that happen? As Frank Zappa once said, "I figure the odds be 50/50."

If SB 75 makes it through the Senate next week, the process begins anew in the House with another bill, another hearing, another vote, and if all that comes down, a reconciliation of the two. I may have the order of movement wrong, but it shows that we've only just begun the process.

On the local front, both Connie Sipes (Senate) and Ed Clere (House) have indicated support. I appreciate that, and I'm sure that Professor Erika does not, although I can promise local teabaggers (and fleabaggers) that Sunday growler sales will not lead to new TIF areas or to any reason why Steve Price might start drinking better beer.

The coverage of the committee hearing on Indianapolis' WISH-8 is fairly good, and can be viewed and read here.