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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of certain brewers and manufacturers to |
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sell beer and ale to ultimate consumers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The legislature finds that: |
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(1) the state is authorized under the Twenty-first |
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Amendment of the United States Constitution to promote the public's |
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interest in the fair, efficient, and competitive marketing of beer |
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and ale in this state; |
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(2) the United States Supreme Court in Granholm v. |
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Heald, 544 U.S. 460 (2005), has recognized that the three-tier |
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system of regulating the alcoholic beverage industry is |
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unquestionably legitimate; |
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(3) in Granholm, the United States Supreme Court |
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further recognized that while the states are entitled to regulate |
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the production and sales of liquor within their borders, the right |
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is nonetheless subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the |
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United States, including the Interstate Commerce Clause, and laws |
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regulating the alcoholic beverage industry may not discriminate |
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against out-of-state participants or give undue deference to local |
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participants and may not ignore other provisions of the |
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constitution, including the Supremacy Clause, Commerce Clause, and |
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the Privileges and Immunities Clause with its nondiscriminatory |
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principles; |
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(4) the state is authorized to promote, market, and |
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educate consumers about the emerging small brewing industry; |
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(5) it is in the state's interest to encourage |
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entrepreneurial and small business development opportunities in |
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the state that will lead to new capital investment in the state, |
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create new jobs in the state, and expand the state and local tax |
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base; and |
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(6) it is the public policy of the state to exercise |
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the police power of the state to protect the welfare, health, peace, |
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temperance, and safety of the people of Texas. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 12, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 12.052 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.052. SALES BY CERTAIN BREWERS TO CONSUMERS. (a) In |
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addition to the activities authorized by Section 12.01, the holder |
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of a brewer's permit whose annual production of ale together with |
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the annual production of beer by the holder of a manufacturer's |
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license at the same premises does not exceed a total of 225,000 |
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barrels may sell ale produced under the permit to ultimate |
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consumers on the brewer's premises for responsible consumption on |
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the brewer's premises. |
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(b) The total combined sales of ale to ultimate consumers |
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under this section, together with the sales of beer to ultimate |
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consumers by the holder of a manufacturer's license under Section |
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62.122 at the same premises, may not exceed 5,000 barrels annually. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 62, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 62.122 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.122. SALES BY CERTAIN MANUFACTURERS TO CONSUMERS. |
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(a) A manufacturer's licensee whose annual production of beer |
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together with the annual production of ale by the holder of a |
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brewer's permit at the same premises does not exceed 225,000 |
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barrels may sell beer produced under the license to ultimate |
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consumers on the manufacturer's premises for responsible |
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consumption on the manufacturer's premises. |
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(b) The total combined sales of beer to ultimate consumers |
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under this section, together with the sales of ale to ultimate |
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consumers by the holder of a brewer's permit under Section 12.052 at |
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the same premises, may not exceed 5,000 barrels annually. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |