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WEBVTT S STORY,NEW ON KETANDREW: CRAFTING A RULE TOREGULATE LOCAL BREWERS IS KINDOF LIKE MAKING BEER.IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU'LL PLEASEEVERYONE, BUT THAT'S EXACTLYWHAT HAPPENED AT THE NEBRASKALIQUOR CONTROL COMMISSIONWEDNESDAY.>> I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF ZIPLINBREWING COMPANY, TESTIFYING INSUPPORT OF THE RULE REGARDINGSATELLITE TAPROOMS. ANDREW: GROWTH -- BOTH BREWERSAND DISTRIBUTORS LIKE THE RULECLARIFICATIONS UNANIMOUSLYADOPTED BY COMMISSIONERS. IT ALLOWS FOR LOCAL BREWERS TODIRECTLY SELL THEIR BEER IN UPTO FIVE LOCATIONS THAT THEY 100%OWN.THIS SOLIDIFIES THE WAY WEHAVE BELIEVED MATTERS HAVEALWAYS BEEN.ANDREW: ANY PRODUCT SOLD TOOTHER RETAIL OUTLETS WOULD HAVETO GO THROUGH A DISTRIBUTOR.THAT'S THE WAY OUT OF STATE BEERIS HANDLED SO IT CAN BE TAXEDAND INSPECTED.DISTRIBUTORS COMPLAINED THE OLDRULE GAVE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENTTO LOCAL BREWERS AND WASUNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER THEFEDERAL COMMERCE CLAUSE.>> THIS PROPOSED RULE REMEDIESTHAT DEFECT.ANDREW: IT'S A FAR DIFFERENTREACTION FROM MONTH AGO.CRAFT BREWERS PACKED ALEGISLATIVE HEARING TO KILL ABILL THEY INITIALLY FEARED WOULDRESTRICT SATELLITES AND HINDERTHEIR ABILITY TO GROW.LB 632 IS IN COMMITTEE WAITINGTO BE AMENDED.THE SPONSOR SAYS THE LEGISLATIONIS STILL NEEDED.>> THE RULES AND REGS DON'TCARRY NEAR AS MUCH WEIGHT ASSTATUTORY CHANGE, ESPECIALLYWHEN IT COMES TO LAWSUITS.ALCOHOL IS HIGHLY REGULATEDALREADY.ANDREW: JIM ENGLEBART OFEMPYREAN BREWERY IN LINCOLN HASNO PROBLEMS WITH THE BILL IFIT'S AMENDED TO MIRROR WHAT THELIQUOR CONTROL COMMISSIONADOPTED.

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Local craft brewers and distributors are toasting a new rule change unanimously adopted by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission on Wednesday. It allows local beer makers to continue to grow their brand, while avoiding a constitutional hiccup. "I'm here on behalf of Zipline Brewing Company testifying in support of the rule regarding satellite taprooms," Marcus Powers of Zipline Brewing Co. said. He likes that the new rule will continue to allow local brewers to directly sell their beer in up to five locations that they 100 percent own. "This solidifies how we thought matters have always been," Powers said. Now, any product sold to other retail outlets would have to go through a distributor. That's the way out-of-state beer is handled, so it can be taxed and inspected. Distributors complained the old rule, gave preferential treatment to local brewers and was unconstitutional, violating the federal commerce clause. "This proposed rule remedies that defect," said Michael Madigan, who represents the Association of Beverage Distributors of NE. "We fully support the rule that is drafted." That's quite a contrast from a month ago. Local craft brewers packed a legislative hearing to kill a bill they initially feared would restrict satellite taprooms and hinder their ability to grow. The sponsor of LB 632, O'Neill Sen. Tyson Larson said the bill is in committee, waiting to be amended. He said the legislation is still needed. "The rule and regs don't carry near as much weight as statutory change, especially when it comes to lawsuits," Larson said. Jim Englebart of Empyrean Brewery in Lincoln has no problems with the bill, if it's amended to mirror what the Liquor Control Commission adopted. "It was extremely well done and really, to be honest, the way these things should be enacted and put in place," Englebart said.