AB 304

This bill does all of the following:

1. Creates the Division of Alcohol Beverages (division) attached to the

Department of Revenue and transfers DOR's alcohol beverage regulation and

enforcement functions to the division.

2. Makes changes relating to the retail sales authority of brewers, wineries,

manufacturers, and rectifiers, as well as changes relating to other authorized

activities of brewers, wineries, manufacturers, and rectifiers.

3. Expands or modifies the authority of brewers, wineries, manufacturers, and

rectifiers to provide free taste samples on retail premises.

4. Increases the limits on the amount of fermented malt beverages (beer) a

brewpub may manufacture and self-distribute.

5. Makes changes relating to restrictions on holding certain common interests

applicable to manufacturers, rectifiers, wineries, brewers, brewpubs, wholesalers,

and retailers.

6. Specifies requirements for certain production arrangements between alcohol

beverage producers.

7. Creates permits issued to, and imposes requirements and restrictions on,

fulfillment houses and common carriers.

8. Makes changes relating to the state's jurisdiction over out-of-state persons

holding Wisconsin alcohol beverage permits and persons who unlawfully ship

alcohol beverages into another state.

9. Modifies provisions relating to the consumption of alcohol beverages in a

public place and creates a no-sale event venue permit issued by the division to

property owners authorizing the permittee to rent real property for use as an event

venue at which beer and wine are consumed, on no more than six days per year, if

certain requirements are met. The bill also creates a liquor license quota exception

for qualifying persons who opt to obtain a retail license instead of a no-sale event

venue permit.

10. Allows “Class C” retail licenses to be issued to establishments other than

restaurants.

11. Modifies the applicable penalty when a beer retailer purchases beer from

a source other than a wholesaler.

12. Broadens membership eligibility and operational authority of cooperative

wholesalers and allows new cooperative wholesalers to be formed for a limited

period.

13. Eliminates the limit on the number of manufacturers', rectifiers', or liquor

wholesalers' permits one person may hold and allows a beer wholesaler to transfer

its wholesaler's permit to a different location within the state.

14. Increases the amount of the safe ride program surcharge and requires

municipalities to provide information to retailers about the safe ride program.