Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to exempt certain brewers from the requirement to register their brand labels with the Minnesota state government. It aims to modify existing liquor laws to alleviate regulatory burdens on specific brewers.

Main Provisions

• Brand Registration Requirement: Current law mandates that all brands of intoxicating liquor and 3.2 percent malt liquor sold in Minnesota must have their brand labels registered and approved by the state commissioner.
• Exemption Criteria: The bill proposes an exemption for malt liquor brands manufactured by a brewer and sold exclusively for consumption on the brewer's licensed premises, or for off-sale consumption as covered under the relevant section. This means that these particular brewers will not need to register their brand labels if their sales meet the specified conditions.
• Brand Registration Renewal: Brand registration is initially $40 and renewal costs $30 every three years. If a brand fails to renew its registration, it is considered abandoned by the manufacturer or importer.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends current statute by introducing an exemption that allows certain brewers to bypass brand registration requirements if their product is only sold and consumed on-site at the brewery, or under specific off-sale conditions.

Relevant Terms

• Brand registration
• Brewer exemptions
• Intoxicating liquor
• Malt liquor
• Commissioner approval
• Brand label abandonment
• On-premises sales
• Off-sale consumption