Over 1,100 New York wine and spirits shop owners recently met with legislators to oppose Amazon's leaked plan to change liquor delivery laws, which includes legalizing alcohol delivery to consumers and partnering with large retailers like Walmart (see plan here). Opponents argue that this could lead to job losses and store closures and may increase underage sales. Despite Amazon's claim that the leaked document is outdated and not relevant, liquor store owners remain concerned about the potential impact on their businesses. The story was first reported by Vice.
A new proposal (full bill here) introduced in the New York state Legislature would increase the bottle and can deposit from 5 cents to 10 cents by 2025, and expand to include wine, liquor and several other beverages not included in the current law, with the aim of increasing recycling rates. While the changes were not included in Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget, a recent poll found 71% statewide support for expanding the deposit law. If passed, the legislation may pose some logistical challenges for liquor stores, who will need to find space to handle returned containers, designate employees to deal with returns and handle returns from multiple distributors. Moreover, the increase in deposit may result in higher costs for consumers.
Top officials at the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission have been found to have used their positions to obtain hard-to-find bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve bourbon and other liquor, according to an internal investigation that has been made public. Six officials at the commission abused their positions by diverting bottles from a state warehouse so they could buy them in stores. Governor Tina Kotek has asked that the commission install new leadership and remove managers and executive leaders who have used their access and authority for personal benefit. The allegations have been described as a slap in the face for bourbon buyers who attempt to find the coveted brand via legitimate channels. See the full New York Times article here.
Legislation passed in New York state's 2023 fiscal year budget allows liquor stores to open on Christmas Day. However, some liquor store owners are not happy about the new option, as it takes away from time with their families. Christmas Eve is typically one of the busiest days of the year for liquor stores, and the challenge of finding workers willing to work on a holiday, as well as the requirement to pay time-and-a-half, adds to the dilemma. Nonetheless, some business owners are open to the idea if it means making a profit. The move to allow liquor stores to be open on Dec. 25 was passed in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s fiscal year 2023 budget. Read more here.
Small business owners, lobbyists and legislators have called for changes to New York state’s liquor licensing laws to cut red tape and ease an “onerous” process that hurts small business. The state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control law hasn’t changed much since the end of Prohibition nearly 89 years ago. The recently passed state budget creates a temporary state commission to look at reforms that would modernize the alcohol industry in New York. The State Liquor Authority, which receives on average 75,000 applications a year, will get about $2m in additional funding as part of the budget. Full story here.
New York State has passed legislation allowing bars and restaurants to sell alcoholic drinks "to-go" for off-premises consumption for a period of three years. The legislation prohibits sales by the bottle but permits the sale of drinks to-go with the order of a "substantial food item", provided the alcoholic beverage is sold in a sealed container and sold during the county closing hours in effect where the business operates. The FY 2023 State Budget also creates the Commission to Study Reform of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, a temporary state commission tasked with modernizing and simplifying the state’s alcohol laws and regulations. See the Governor's announcement here.
New York state officials have announced plans to legalize to-go drinks permanently for bars and restaurants. The state temporarily legalized the service in March 2020 to aid the pandemic-affected restaurant industry, but the initiative was killed off by liquor store lobby groups. Liquor store owners are concerned that allowing bars and restaurants to sell booze to-go would create 30,000 new liquor stores overnight. Lobbying groups on both sides are now mobilizing again as the proposal moves to the legislature. See the full New York Times article here.