More outdoor dining, less quirky restrictions among upcoming Ohio law changes - Columbus Business First - Columbus Business First
More expanded outdoor space, an easier path to the ballot and some clarified social media rules were among the Ohio craft brewers legislative wins in 2021.
Senate Bill 102, signed into law late last year by Gov. Mike Dewine, will go into effect March 23. It includes several changes that’ll help improve business and processes for breweries in the state.
That includes adding another year to expanded outdoor dining. The state now will permit municipalities to allow added outdoor seating for restaurants and bars until the end of 2023.
The outdoor dining expansion has been a popular program for those businesses that have been able to do it, adding more seating and sales at a time when consumers may be reluctant to be inside.
Ohio Craft Brewers Association Board President Alan Szuter, co-owner of Columbus’ Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, speaking Tuesday at the group’s annual conference, said there’s a constant need for advocacy in the highly regulated beer industry, particularly as larger entities in the world attempt to restrict their business.
He described it as "a fight against inertia."
“But we’re no longer a few small players," Szuter said. "We’re much more formidable now.”
The hundreds of brewers in the state employ thousands and count customers in the tens of thousands, he said.
“Meet your legislators,” he encouraged. “Craft beer lovers are everywhere, on both sides of the aisle.”
A big national legislative win occurred in late 2020 when the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act was made permanent, locking in lower tax rates for breweries and distilleries that previously were temporary.
S.B. 102 here in Ohio will make it easier for all businesses that sell alcohol to get a liquor option for Sunday sales on the ballot. The current requirement is signatures from 35% of the people who voted in the previous gubernatorial election in the businesses precinct. In March that will drop to just 50 signatures.
It also cleared up two quirky and outdated laws pertaining to alcohol sales.
If you ever saw a brewery or distributor tweeting about an event at a store or restaurant or about the availability of beer at a store or restaurant — they were breaking Ohio law.
Though it was never believed to have been enforced in the state, the law here and elsewhere effectively considered such social media posts a “gift” to a permit holder. The new law now permits such posts from free social media sites, though association Deputy Director Justin Hemminger did caution that “boosted” posts backed by money are still see seen as improper gifts.
Did you also know that according to Ohio law, only 30% of a restaurant gift card can be spent on alcohol when dinning in? Again, that is believed to have been rarely enforced. That restriction will go away in March too.
Hemminger pointed out a few inconsistencies in the current law that helped drive the change. First, it applied to on-premise only, not carryout. Second, if someone is gifted $100 cash, for instance, it’s clear they’re free to spend that at a restaurant as they wish.
S.B. 102 contains several other changes as well, including easing some restrictions on home brewers and allowing cider to be sold in growler containers.
source: https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2022/01/20/more-outdoor-dining-less-quirky-restrictions-amon.html
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