Committee advances bill to bar brewers from mandating ecommerce platforms, clarify successor-brewer rules

The House Industry, Business and Labor Committee on Thursday voted to advance Senate Bill 21‑36, a measure supporters say will strengthen wholesaler independence in North Dakota27s three‑tier alcohol distribution system and close a loophole that some private equity buyers have used to avoid successor‑brewer obligations.

The bill27s prime sponsor in the Senate, Sen. Jerry Klein, told the committee he was introducing the measure on behalf of the North Dakota Beer Distributors Association to address “a couple of issues that are cropping up across the country.” The bill was amended before the committee vote and passed on a voice and later roll call vote.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill preserves wholesalers27 ability to choose the business‑to‑business ecommerce platform that best serves their retail customers, and it prevents purchasers of breweries from dodging state successor‑brewer rules by claiming they are not 22brewers.22 Backers said the change protects long‑standing distribution…