MassPack Continues To Fight Against Bill Expansion

A recent Massachusetts Package Stores Association (“MassPack”) newsletter and message to MPSA Members from Executive Director Robert Mellion provided some great insight into the work that his association did in 2021 and continues to do in 2022 regarding the many circulating bills that could impact alcohol beverage retail as we know it. According to the newsletter, more than 190 bills were introduced during this legislative session that would impact alcoholic beverage retail – 100 of which would directly overtake local retail by replacing them with out-of-state choices for consumers.

Some of the 2021 highlights from MassPack include:

· Cumberland Farms was derailed from filing another ballot question initiative which would allow unlimited food store licenses to sell beer and wine.

· MassPack prevented industry disruptors from using Covid to further modify alcohol beverage regulations, advance online lottery, and allow for direct shipping of distilled spirits.

· MassPack testified at more than 25 hearings on over 180 bills; a third of the bills filed this session expand off-premise licenses or repeal state and municipal quotas.

· MassPack testified against bills by out-of-state chain stores, supermarkets, and big box retailers that dismantled local licensing and state quota systems.

· MassPack is the only alcohol industry participant to testify against five bills increasing excise tax on alcohol.

· Only MassPack challenged six bills that either ban or place a deposit on miniature bottles and testified against “Nip Bans” at more than 20 municipal hearings across Massachusetts.

· Adding alcohol shipments to the U.S. Postal Reform bill was a top priority.

And as the new year begins, MassPack is already testifying against remaining bills that seek to expand licenses, such as:

· An Act that would further regulate certain licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages, which is very troublesome because this bill increases the number of allowed all-alcohol retail licenses from 9 to 18.

· An Act concerning the sale of wines and malt beverages by food stores would allow marketplace control of the cheap to moderate alcohol beverages marketplace.

Although the number of bills to monitor and consider is considerable, MassPack asks that we “weigh how [these bills] impact the ABCC’s ability to regulate, consequences to the marketplace and whether these bills undercut public health and safety.”

 

For more articles on the liquor industry – check out The Advisor Magazine – Issue 12.

 

 

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