BILL NUMBER: ACR 32 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 16, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bloom
FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Relative to California Craft Brewery
Beverage Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 32, as amended, Bloom. California Craft Brewery
Beverage Month.
This measure would proclaim the month of April 2015 as California
Craft Brewery Beverage Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
WHEREAS, A craft involves skill to make things by hand; and
WHEREAS, A beverage is a drink, especially one other than water;
and
WHEREAS, California is the birthplace of the craft brewing
movement, when Fritz Maytag acquired the Anchor Brewing Company in
1965 and began brewing authentic handcrafted beers; and
WHEREAS, California is the home of the first microbrewery,
beginning with Jack McAuliffe who built a small brewery in Sonoma
from scratch, and began selling New Albion ales in 1977; and
WHEREAS, The second largest craft brewer in the country, Sierra
Nevada Brewing Company, was founded in Chico, California, in 1979,
and spurred the craft brewery movement around the country; and
WHEREAS, In 1982, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 3610
to amend the state's tied-house laws to remove the restriction on
on-premises sales of craft beer. Following this change in law,
California became home to three of the first five brewpubs in the
United States; and
WHEREAS, The second brewpub in the United States was opened by the
Mendocino Brewery in Hopland, California; the third brewpub, opened
in September 1984, was Buffalo Bill's in Hayward, California; and the
fifth, opened by John Martin in March 1986, was Triple Rock Brewery
in Berkeley, California; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, 2014, the
California craft brewery industry had an annual impact of
$4.7 $5.5 billion on the state's economy; and
WHEREAS, As of the end of 2012, In 2014,
the California craft brewery industry supported more than
45,000 50,000 jobs, which in turn
create billions of dollars in positive economic impact; and
WHEREAS, The California craft brewery industry creates more
revenue for the state and federal governments than many other
industries, generating more than $850 million in federal, state, and
local revenues in 2012; and
WHEREAS, California now has more breweries than any other state in
the country, and in fact has more than twice as many craft breweries
as the state within the next highest number, Colorado. The current
count numbers more than 440 small, independently owned craft
breweries. An average of one in every five craft beers produced in
the United States comes from California; and
WHEREAS, California is now known and recognized internationally
for the quality of its craft breweries. Year after year, Californian
breweries win more medals at the World Beer Cup, the largest
international beer competition in the world, and the Great American
Beer Festival, the largest beer competition in the United States,
than breweries found in other states; and
WHEREAS, California has more than 520 small, independently owned
craft breweries; and
WHEREAS, An average of one in every five craft beers produced in
the United States is from California; and
WHEREAS, Small, family-owned wine producers represent the largest
number of licensed wineries in the state and nation; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California was founded in 1990 to
provide a small producer perspective on public policy matters; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California advocates the rights and
interests of its members to freely produce, market, and sell their
products, and is dedicated to preserving the diversity of California
wine; and
WHEREAS, Family Winemakers of California was instrumental in
opening the United States wine market to California wine by
direct-to-consumer sales through a sustained litigation campaign that
led to the United States Supreme Court's Granholm v. Heald (544 v.s.
460) decision; and
WHEREAS, The Family Winemakers of California are affiliated with
WineAmerica to establish a channel for input on national issues and
generate unity among small producers and growers across the United
States; and
WHEREAS, The Family Winemakers of California now have 425 small,
independently owned wineries, which add to the prestige of California
wine and are a significant part of the more than $60 billion state
wine industry; and
WHEREAS, The California Artisanal Distillers Guild empowers
California's craft distillers through protection, education, and
communication; and
WHEREAS, The guild's member companies have a strong commitment to
promoting the responsible consumption of alcohol as well as fighting
underage drinking and drunk driving. This is accomplished through
responsible advertising, strict codes of conduct, and other
initiatives that educate the public on common-sense guidelines for
drinking and set an example of moderation to our youth; and
WHEREAS, The mission and goals of the guild are to protect and
promote the art and craft of small-batch and artisanal distilled
spirits making, enhance consumer awareness of California craft-made
spirits, and work to grow and ensure the long term health of our
industry; and
WHEREAS, The California Artisanal Distillers Guild supports
California alcohol wholesalers and distributors who promote
California craft-made spirits and the importance of California's role
in the beverage industry, support the California Visitation and
Tourism Industries, support California Small Business, support "Buy
Local" Groups and Programs in California, support the California
Farming Industry, support California suppliers of raw materials and
packaging products, and support California restaurants, bars, and
retail outlets who carry and promote California craft-made spirits;
and
WHEREAS, Brewery Beer, wine, and distilled
spirits tourism is increasingly popular and contributes to the
economic impact of the state's tourism industry; and
WHEREAS, The California craft brewing
beverage industry is a leader in the stewardship of natural
resources and the environment and has made a major commitment to
implement sustainable practices that are environmentally sound,
including some of the largest solar arrays in the private sector, and
the use of fuel cells and other innovative conservation techniques
and processes; and
WHEREAS, Despite the challenges of intense global competition, the
state's craft brewery beverage
industry is strong and growing, and is a major contributor to the
economic vitality of California; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the month
of April 2015 as California Craft Brewery
Beverage Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.