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House passes amendment to liquor control rules to aid Four Corners winery
Summary
Substitute House Bill 182, described as adjusting packaging/markup rules so a Four Corners winery and its grape suppliers retain more revenue, passed the House 53‑13 and moves to the Senate.
SALT LAKE CITY — Substitute House Bill 182, which Representative Adams said would alter how a licensed winery in the Four Corners region is treated under liquor control rules, passed the Utah House 53‑13 and was sent to the Senate.
Adams recounted the region’s long effort to develop an intensive agricultural crop program and said the winery has become critical to 15 families supplying grapes. He said the Liquor Control Division previously treated the operation as a packaging agency, which required a disproportionate share of gross sales go to the state. “This legislation would give 30% of the gross sales to the state and would allow that business to retain 31% of that,” Adams said while describing the negotiated change that he said would allow the business to remain viable.
Supporters argued the bill corrects an unfair result that threatened the enterprise, while one member declared a conflict of interest and several others urged passage to protect local growers. The House recorded the vote as 53 in favor and 13 opposed; the bill will proceed to the Senate for its consideration.
What’s next: The Senate will consider the substitute and either concur, amend, or take other action.
