2009 House Bill 4565: Revise keg beer sale procedures

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Introduced by Rep. Mark Meadows (D) on March 11, 2009, to require retailers to attach an identification tag signed by the buyer to kegs of beer when they are sold, and not return the keg deposit unless the tag is still on the keg, subject to a $500 fine for failing to do either. A non-retailer possessing a keg without the tag would be subject to a $500 fine and 93 days in jail.
- Referred to the House Regulatory Reform Committee on March 11, 2009.
  - Reported in the House on April 22, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
- Substitute offered in the House on April 23, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details and lowers the fine on retailers to $50. This was not adopted in favor of another substitute that also has the lower fine plus other minor changes. The substitute failed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2009.
- Substitute offered by Rep. Mark Meadows (D) on April 23, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details and lowers the fine on retailers to $50. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2009.
Passed 61 to 42 in the House on April 23, 2009, to require retailers to attach an identification tag signed by the buyer to kegs of beer when they are sold, and not return the keg deposit unless the tag is still on the keg, subject to a $50 fine for failing to do either. A non-retailer possessing a keg without the tag would be subject to a $500 fine and 93 days in jail.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Received in the Senate on April 28, 2009.
- Referred to the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee on April 28, 2009.
  - Reported in the Senate on November 12, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

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1) Re: 2009 House Bill 4565 (Revise keg beer sale procedures ) by changeagent on April 24, 2009

Another case of the Republicans and Democrats compromising and putting more restrictions on our lives.

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2) Re: 2009 House Bill 4565 (Revise keg beer sale procedures ) by gypsy on April 24, 2009

Thank you freespeaker for the help. I suspect you are right about the motivation behind this proposed legislation.

I concur with those posting here that laws to forbid under age drinking do not work, much like laws to forbid drug use, and the so-called war on drugs. Our efforts would be much better spent educating kids about drinking, and drugs, and treating abuse and addiction in kids and adults, than making these "sins" forbidden fruit.

I therefore register my opposition to this bill.

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3) Re: 2009 House Bill 4565 (Revise keg beer sale procedures ) by amasaman on April 24, 2009

Why don't they increase the fine for contributing to a minor by $500.00 and get rid of this "loophole" to entrap unsuspecting law abiding citizens who aren't contributing to minors? It seems that this strange "beer keg registration" scheme will do nothing but enrage the first legitimate person that gets busted for it.

What about repeat offenders? What will the fine be if you get caught a second time without a tag on a keg? Besides, I'd keep the keg for the cost of the deposit, instead of pay $500 and get a misdemeanor.

And what about all those kegs that people already own. Will the cops go door to door looking for unregistered kegs, in order to issue tickets for kegs "purchased" prior to enactment of this law?

I remember getting raided at an "underage drinking party," way out in the woods. The cops showed up but there was no beer. (Actually they just showed up too early, beer WAS enroute to the party.) All they busted was about 30 people, teenagers, and early 20 somethings, standing around a campfire out in a field, drinking Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola, with music blasting out of somebodies truck. It was pretty funny having six cops all come running out of the woods with flashlights drawn, yelling at us to get down on the ground and empty our hands. They expected us to take off running. They tried to get our names and addresses but only a few relinquished that info. When they started writing down license plate numbers, we got a little more agitated. The landowner's son was there and threatened them with trespassing. The cops left with no arrests, no tickets issued, and no beer to confiscate (ie: drink for themselves).

I can just see the cops raiding every backyard BBQ party looking for "untagged" kegs. Now what happens if I bought the keg in Wisconsin, did I illegally transport it across state lines?

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