Bills to Watch: Hard Cider Sales, Clean-Water Fund, Open Election Seats

LRB-0515

Sales of hard cider

This bill seeks to provide certainty to Wisconsin breweries by allowing them to sell hard cider directly at retail locations under their brewer’s permit without obtaining an additional liquor license. Currently, many Wisconsin breweries also manufacture hard cider under a separate wine permit. Similar to beer sales, a brewery will only be able to sell its cider directly to the consumer at a maximum of two locations. The bill finished circulating for co-sponsorship Jan. 22.

LRB-4534

Clean-water fund

This bill would create the Clean Water Fund for Our Future, which would provide $10 million in general-purpose revenue biennially to address water issues in the state. The bill also creates the Joint Committee for the Oversight of the Clean Water Fund for Our Future to administer the funds. The fund would not be able to be used for anything other than clean water. The bill finished circulating for co-sponsorship Jan. 23.

LRB-4368

Public notice for open election seats

This bill would require public notification – either online or in the newspaper of record – in the event of open seats for an election. If an incumbent files a notification of noncandidacy with the office of record or fails to file a notification of candidacy by a deadline, the seat is considered open. Under current law, there is no requirement for the office of record to provide public notice of an open seat. The bill finished circulating for co-sponsorship Jan. 23.