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Bill would let charities include beer, malt liquor and spirits in auctions and raffles now limited to wine
Summary
A bill sponsored by Rep. Myers would expand a statutory limit that currently allows only wine (and possibly brandy) to be raffled or silent-auctioned for charity to include beer, malt liquor and spirits.
Representative Myers told the House General Laws committee that House Bill 1340 would allow charitable raffles and silent auctions to include beer, malt liquor and spirits in addition to wine.
"This 1 deals with probably 1 of the hardest bills to pass in the House or the Senate. It's a topic that is so very rare that it comes up," Myers said during his sponsor remarks, describing the change as a cleanup of an existing statute that he said currently limits raffleable items to wine. "So what I did is went through here, and, added beer, malt liquor, and spirits. To be able to be So those items could be, raffled or, donated to be used in a silent auction for to raise money for charity. So that's how simple this bill is."
Supporters from the alcohol distribution industry testified in favor. Heath Clarkston, a registered lobbyist for Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits, said his company regularly donates wine to charitable events and supported expanding the statute to allow other alcoholic beverages. "We've always wondered why it only is wine," Clarkston said. "It just makes sense to do this."
Representative Dean, who said he works in the nonprofit industry, told the committee the existing restriction causes practical problems and that enforcement has been "very arbitrary." No opposition testimony was recorded at the hearing.
The committee set short time limits for sponsors and public testimony for the day's hearings.
