Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
Free beer samples? Why not?
By Mary Lazich
Saturday, Apr 21 2007, 07:54 AM
Walk into a grocery or liquor store in Wisconsin and the store could have a display set up offering you a free sample of wine. Under Wisconsin law, grocery and liquor stores may provide two wine taste samples of not more than three ounces each, free of charge, for consumption on the premises between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. State law prohibits stores from offering free samples of beer. That is about to change.
The state Senate and the state Assembly have both passed legislation to allow holders of Class A licenses to provide free samples. If the Governor signs the bill into law, here is how it would work.
Grocery and liquor stores would be allowed to offer up to two taste samples of beer of not more than three ounces each. The samples could be given free of charge between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to customers and visitors of legal drinking age. The beer samples, that amount to about a half can of beer would have to be consumed on the premises.
This legislation brings consistency. Stores that can legally offer small free samples of wine should also, in a state world-renowned for beer, be able to offer similar-sized free beer samples.
The legislation is also good for business and tourism. Consumers will now be able to sample beer produced by local breweries and micro-breweries that may entice them to make purchases. The samples will enable some of Wisconsin’s fine products to enjoy greater exposure and compete with larger breweries. News of the bill is already spreading all across the country over the Internet.
Some may be concerned about the potential for misuse. I believe it is highly unlikely an individual will become intoxicated by sample-hopping from store to store. Frankly, that would take a lot of time and effort when it would just be easier to purchase a six-pack. The samples that will be offered are small, barely a taste.
The bill is pro-business, pro-competition, pro-tourism, and pro-Wisconsin. It needs to be signed into law.
