Georgia is one of five states that prohibits craft beer brewers from selling their product to people touring the breweries. It seems like a no brainer and a win-win for everybody. A tourist tours a brewery, likes what they sample, takes home some beer, then goes to his local grocery store to buy more.

But that is illegal in Georgia. State Senator Hunter Hill seeks to change that. He has filed S.B. 63, which would allow brewers to sell up to a twelve pack of beer to people who come by the brewery. Again, Georgia is only one of five states that prohibits this.

In Georgia, a brewery must sell its product to a single wholesale distributor who then resells the beer to restaurants and retail locations. This is called a three-tier system and there are powerful interests who do not want any disruption, no matter how much common sense the change, to happen at all.

And they have Georgia’s Lt. Governor, Casey Cagle, in their pocket. Multiple Republican Senators in Georgia’s General Assembly tell me that Cagle himself is personally obstructing the legislation and placing pressure on the Regulated Industries Committee to stall a vote on the bill. The committee is set to meet next Wednesday.

In an examination of 2014 campaign contributions via Follow the Money, Cagle received $130,756.57 in contributions from the alcoholic beverage industry, with the bulk of it from wholesalers opposed to the legislation. Cagle received more in 2014 from the alcoholic beverage industry than any other member of state legislature. In fact, roughly 20% of that money came from just one family — the Leebern family connected to Georgia Crown Distributing.

For comparison, the Chairman of the Senate Regulated Industries Committee that will review S.B. 63, Senator Rick Jeffares, only received $4545.00 from the alcoholic beverage industry in 2014, according to Follow the Money. An overwhelming majority of Georgians support S.B. 63. It is common sense legislation, will actually create jobs, and brings Georgia in line with 90% of the other states.

Multiple Republican senators tell me Lt. Governor Casey Cagle is the chief obstacle to the legislation. Despite the overwhelming popularity of the legislation and its common sense approach, Cagle would rather side with donors than with voters. Below is the Follow the Money chart of Cagle’s 2014 contributions from the alcoholic beverage industry.

Election Contributor Total 2014 GEORGIA BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION $12,600.00 2014 WINE & SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF GEORGIA $12,600.00 2014 LEEBERN JR, DONALD M $12,600.00 2014 ANHEUSER-BUSCH $11,000.00 2014 SAVANNAH DISTRIBUTING CO $10,000.00 2014 EAGLE ROCK DISTRIBUTING CO $8,800.00 2014 YOUNG JR, WILLIAM D $7,200.00 2014 YOUNG, E. HOWARD $7,200.00 2014 YOUNG, STEPHEN $7,200.00 2014 LEEBERN, STACEY $6,300.00 2014 LEEBERN, DONALD M $6,300.00 2014 ATLANTA BEVERAGE CO $5,000.00 2014 MILLERCOORS $3,500.00 2014 NORTHEAST SALES DISTRIBUTING $3,000.00 2014 GEORGIA RETAIL SPIRITS COUNCIL $2,527.00 2014 DIAGEO $2,500.00 2014 CHATEAU ELAN WINERY & RESORT $2,500.00 2014 EVERS, HENK $2,500.00 2014 AB BEVERAGE CO $2,000.00 2014 MONSEES, HENRY $1,429.57 2014 BIBB DISTRIBUTING CO $1,000.00 2014 LEWIS, DAVID $1,000.00 2014 DAVIS, JAY $1,000.00 2014 PALMETTO BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT CORP $500.00 2014 PEACHTREE ROAD LIQUOR STORE $500.00 2014 TOTAL $130,756.57