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Texas Craft Brewers Form Political Action Committee

Courtesy: CraftPAC.org

TX BEER LAWS: The Texas Craft Brewers Guild announced this week  it’s launching a political action committee aimed at reforming the state’s beer laws. It’s called “CraftPAC.”  This trade association represents more than 200 craft breweries statewide. In all, there are roughly 250 total in Texas. Adam DeBower is cofounder of the brewery Austin 

Credit Courtesy: Spectrum News
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Courtesy: Spectrum News
Adam Debower, chairman of CraftPAC

Beerworks and chair of CraftPAC-- he tells THE TEXAS STANDARD, the state’s regulations are outdated, as many laws regulating the industry were passed in the 1930s and 1970s. Like one that prevents to-go sales at breweries. "You come in, you can buy my beer here at the brewery and have a pine. You can go out on the market and you can buy my beer but you cannot take 

Credit Courtesy: CraftPAC.org
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Courtesy: CraftPAC.org

any beer to go. And this is actually a very, unique purely Texas distinction. 49 states allow the right to buy beer from a brewery, so 93 percent of Americans get to enjoy rights but Texans do not.  However, in Texas, to-go sales are permitted at the state’s wineries, distilleries, and brewpubs.   DeBower says -- as the 2019 Texas legislative session approaches – Craft-Pac plans to support candidates and bills that support growth of the state’s craft beer industry.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.