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House approves alcohol-control changes that move flavored malt beverages to state liquor stores after heated debate
Summary
After extended debate over youth access, refrigeration and fiscal impacts, the Utah House approved third substitute Senate Bill 211 to reclassify certain flavored malt beverages as liquor and place them in state liquor stores; supporters said it protects teens, opponents warned of unintended market effects and urged study.
Lawmakers on the Utah House floor voted to approve third substitute Senate Bill 211, a sweeping set of alcoholic-beverage control amendments that reclassifies many flavored malt beverages so they would be sold in state liquor stores rather than grocery shelves.
Representative Rosemary Urquhart, the House sponsor, said the measure clarifies the state's regulatory distinction: "This isn't beer ... the end product, this is not beer," she told colleagues while defending the bill's categorization and dismissing concerns about store inventory and refrigeration as "red herrings." Supporters argued the existing packaging and…
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