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Tavern League of Wisconsin

Founded in 1935, the Tavern League of Wisconsin is the largest trade association in the United States to exclusively represent the interests of licensed beverage retailers. The Wisconsin Tavern League Foundation, the 501c3 non-profit charitable arm of the organization, provides financial support for thousands of Wisconsin charities, as well as the Tavern League’s SafeRide program.

Mark Your Calendar

 

New Alcohol provisions to go into effect May 1, 2024

 

Reduces Penalty for Retailer-to Retailer Beer Purchases

  • The bill lowers the penalty from a felony to a civil forfeiture not to exceed $100 for a tavern to purchase 15 cases of beer a month from a liquor store without going through a wholesaler.  A similar provision currently exists in state law for the purchase of up to 12 liters of booze a month.

Creates Uniform Closing Hours for Retailers and Producers

  • The bill requires all breweries to have the same closing times as Class B licensed establishments.

Increases SafeRide Funding

  • The bill will increase the OWI surcharge for the TLW SafeRide Program by 33%.  In addition the bill will expand the use of the SafeRide Program to all license holders in Wisconsin for a 6 month period.  The TLW will coordinate with non-members to use our SafeRide Program and we will solicit them to join the TLW to have permanent use of SafeRide as well as all TLW programs.  This change represents a great opportunity to recruit new TLW members.

Requires SafeRide Program Notification upon License Issuance

  • The new law requires municipalities to provide information regarding a free six month participation in the TLW SafeRide Program every time a liquor/beer license is issued.  This change will introduce the TLW and our SafeRide Program to every applicant for a liquor license in Wisconsin.  This change will present the opportunity to increase membership in the TLW as well as our SafeRide Program.

Allows Recapping Bottles of Wine

  • The bill allows an opened, unfinished bottle of wine to be removed from the restaurant if, among the other requirements, it is recapped with the original cap, rather than recorked.

Clarifies Axe Throwing Facility Licensing

  • The bill permits a retail license to be issued for an axe throwing facility and allow an underage person to be on the premises.

 

Expands Brewery Winery and Distillery Retail Sales / Full Service Taprooms

 

Creates Statutory Framework for Contract Production

 

Expands Small Winery Cooperative Wholesaler Permit to Include Distilled Spirits

 

Clarifies Hard Seltzers as Fermented Malt Beverages

 

Doubles Brewpub Production and Self-Distribution Caps

 

Removes Cap on Number of Production Permits for Intoxicating Liquor

 

Creates Wine Only Bars / Remove Certain Class C Wine License Restrictions

 

Increases the Number of Manufacturer’s Permits per Legal Entity

 

Standardizes Hours of Operation for Nonretail Activity

 

Allows Producers to Bring Alcohol Beverages to Licensed Retailers to Provide Free Samples

 

Allows Brewpubs to Satisfy Permit Requirement Through Sale of Beer from Another Brewpub

 

Expands Availability of Winery Permits to Manufacturers and Rectifiers

 

Allows Premixing of Cocktails by Class B License Holders

 

Clarifies Taxation of Alcohol Sales Between Producers

 

Allows Wineries to Sell Wine to Other Producers

 

Following Provisions Effective December 8, 2023

 

Extends Closing Hours during Republican National Convention

  • The bill creates a closing hour exception, during a 2024 national political convention in Milwaukee, for Class “B,” “Class B,” and “Class C” licensed retailers, and for producers' full-service retail outlets and production premises, located in Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, Rock, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson, Dane, Ozaukee, Washington, Dodge, Columbia, Sheboygan, or Fond du Lac County. Under the bill, during the convention period, the closing hours are between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.  However, a municipality may designate a retailer or producer as ineligible or disqualified for the extended closing hour and may, by ordinance, opt out of the extended closing hour during the convention.

 

Creates Division of Alcohol Beverages

  • Creates the Division of Alcohol Beverages (division) attached to the enforcement functions to the division.

 

Following Provisions Effective January 1, 2024

 

Modifies Cross-Tier Restrictions to Allow Incidental and Indirect Interests

 

Following Provisions Effective January 1, 2025

 

Creates Statewide Alcohol Beverage Seller/Server License

  • Under provisions of the bill the Department of Revenue will create an operator’s license which can be acquired through the DOR website and will be permitted for use statewide.  Local governments can still issue an operator’s license but this change will provide much more flexibility to employers and bartenders to quickly obtain a license from the DOR which can be used statewide.

Expands Small Winery Cooperative Wholesaler Permit to Include Distilled Spirits

 

Imposes Common Carrier and Fulfillment House Requirements

 

Following Provisions Effective January 1, 2026

 

Creates Public Place and Event Venue Regulations

  • Requires wedding barns and event venues to obtain the proper alcohol license in order to operate. All wedding barns and event venues will now be required to have a liquor license to hold events.  That provision of the bill has a delayed effective date of 24 months.  Wedding barns and event venues will be required to purchase all alcohol through a licensed wholesaler and no longer allow people to bring in their own alcohol.

Upcoming Events

News

New Maps

March 1, 2024

Last Spring, Milwaukee County circuit court Judge Janet Protasiewicz easily won election to the open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Her election swung the balance of the court to a 4-3 liberal majority setting in motion the rewriting of Wisconsin’s legislative districts.
Shortly after her swearing in to the Court the new liberal majority granted writ to a case seeking to rewrite all state legislative districts. In December, in a 4-3 ruling, the State Supreme Court ruled Wisconsin’s legislative districts were unconstitutional and required new maps to be in place by the 2024 election. The Court set a deadline of March 15th for new maps to be in place. They provided alternative options to establish new maps and if the Legislature and Governor could not agree on new maps the Court would establish new districts.
On February 19, 2024, Governor Evers signed legislation he introduced rewriting Wisconsin’s legislative districts thereby bringing an end to the long legal battle to create new legislative districts.
Republicans currently hold sizable majorities in both houses. In the State Senate Republicans have a 22-11 advantage and, in the Assembly, hold a 64-35 majority. Without question the Democrats will gain seats in both houses as a result of the new maps but Republicans should be able to retain majorities in both houses. All 99 Assembly seats are up for election in 2024 while the even numbered seats of the State Senate will face election.
The new maps create 43 paired legislators, 7 open seats in the Senate and 15 open seats in the Assembly. The pairing of 43 legislators means at least 22 legislators will not be coming back in districts they are currently representing. Some may move to run in open seats. For the first time in nearly 20 years legislative Democrats will have a chance to make significant gains in the Legislature but not likely to take control in either house.
Paired Legislators (new maps put these legislators in the same district)
Paired Republican Senators:
John Jagler – Joan Ballweg
Julian Bradley – Van Wanggaard
Rob Cowles – Eric Wimberger – Andre Jacque
Dan Knold – Duey Stroebel
Paired Democrat Senators:
Melissa Agard – Kelda Roys
Paired R/D Senators
Jesse James (R) – Jeff Smith (D)
Paired Republican Representatives:
John Macco – Shae Sortwell
Amy Binsfeld – Paul Tittl
Ty Bodden – Ron Tusler
Tyler August – Amanda Nedewski
Elijah Behnke – David Steffen
William Penterman – Jon Plumber
Nate Gustafson – Mike Schraa
James Edming – Rob Summerfield
Nik Rettinger – Chuck Wichgers
Donna Rozar – John Spiros
Cindi Duchow – Scott Johnson
Paired Democrats
Mike Bare – Alex Joers
Paired R/D Representatives
Bob Donovan (R) – Dan Reimer (D)
Karen Hurd (R) – Jodi Emerson (D)

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Tavern League of Wisconsin partners with Hogs For Heroes to purchase bike for war veteran from Neenah

August 22, 2022

August 28, 2022 – This week, Army National Guard Veteran, Master Sergeant Jake Spangenberg of Neenah becomes the ninth Wisconsin…

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May is National Tavern Month

May 9, 2022

Celebrating the social and economic impact of Wisconsin’s bars, taverns and restaurants The Tavern League of Wisconsin (TLW), along with…

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