If you know Birmingham, you know it’s a first-rate place to live, work and play. At the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), our chief goal is to enhance the quality of life for all citizens of the Birmingham seven-county region, and that includes doing so through the public policy arena. Currently, there are a number of bills focused on easing restrictions for breweries and wineries in the state that the BBA supports because of their affects on economic development and talent attraction.

“Top talent is looking for livable environments that speak to all aspects of their professional and personal lives,” said Nan Baldwin, vice president of regional development at the Birmingham Business Alliance. “A major factor in economic development is the quality of life in a community and the ease of recreational activities for a workforce. Successful communities attract talent by providing an enjoyable place to live, work, play and raise families.”

Here are a few of the current bills:

Distilleries around Birmingham will benefit from the Alabama Legislature's recent quality of life bills.

House Bill 151 will modernize breweries, allowing our successful breweries to expand to second locations in the state and more freedom to participate in local nonprofits.
HB 350 will allow a wine manufacturer to ship limited quantities of wine directly to Alabama residents for personal use. This way, consumers can order wine online and have it shipped right to their doorstep. (This bill also showed up in the Senate as SB 271 and SB 274.)
HB 494 simplifies the tax on beer sold at brewery tasting rooms and brewpubs, bringing it in line with how beer is taxed everywhere else in Alabama. This is expected to save thousands of hours each year that brewers spend on paperwork, freeing these small businesses up to focus more on brewing quality beer that consumers love.
Senate Bill 234 allows Alabama’s small farm wineries to directly sell their wines to consumers, a win for wineries along the Alabama Wine Trail.
SB 276 allows alcoholic beverage manufacturers located in entertainment districts to also sell in liquor stores across the state.

Want to take a deeper dive and follow along with your favorite bill? Click here, then click on “Find Status of Bill” and type in the bill number.