MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representative Simpson

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 67-3-28, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO INCREASE FROM FOUR PERCENT TO FIVE PERCENT THE PERCENT OF ALCOHOL BY WEIGHT THAT CAN BE CONTAINED IN BEER AND LIGHT WINE MANUFACTURED AND SOLD BY BREWPUBS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 67-3-28, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

67-3-28. (1) Any person desiring to engage in business as a brewpub shall file with the commissioner, along with the application required by Section 67-3-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, a certificate issued by a licensed testing laboratory indicating that such laboratory has tested a sample of the applicant's beer or light wine, or both, and that the alcohol content of such sample does not exceed five percent (5%) by weight.

(2) Every brewpub shall be required to submit to random testing by the commissioner to determine whether any beer or light wine being manufactured, sold, kept, stored or secreted by the license holder contains an alcohol content greater than five percent (5%) by weight. The commissioner shall establish and administer testing standards and procedures to be used in such random testing. The brewpub licensee shall be responsible for all costs incurred by the commissioner in conducting random testing under this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.