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House approves bill limiting drugstore/liquor license impacts after sponsors say measure protects independent retailers and craft producers
Summary
Senate Bill 33 passed the House after sponsors and supporters said it protects independent liquor stores and Colorado craft beverage producers from competition created by a ballot‑measure licensing change; supporters said the change preserves local retail channels critical to craft producers.
The House on March 31 adopted Senate Bill 33, legislation designed to limit the effect of a prior ballot measure that, sponsors said, gave supermarkets and other new retailers disproportionate access to liquor licenses and threatened family‑owned liquor stores and Colorado craft producers.
Representative Weinberg and Representative Ricks, co‑sponsors in the House, said the bill protects small, community liquor stores that sell Colorado craft beer, wine and spirits and argued that up to 40–50% of independent liquor stores are at risk in some districts. Supporters emphasized the economic interdependence of independent retailers and Colorado craft producers.
Representative Gonzalez said constituents and craft beverage businesses had contacted her with concerns about declining revenues at independent retailers; she urged colleagues to vote yes. Representative Armagost echoed committee unanimity and said stakeholders had reached agreement.
The bill carried unanimous committee support and was adopted on the floor; the transcript records the motion and the bill’s adoption but does not display every roll‑call tally in the excerpt provided. Sponsors asked colleagues to vote yes to preserve the state’s independent retail channel for craft beverage producers.
Why it matters: SB 33 seeks to preserve market access for Colorado‑produced craft beer, spirits and wine by limiting changes in license distribution that would favor large chain retailers over independent shops.
What's next: Sponsors said they will monitor market impacts and implementation, and businesses said they will continue outreach to preserve retail diversity.
