This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Free liquor samples in the state budget
Several months ago, the state Legislature approved and Governor Doyle signed into law a bill that allows grocery and liquor stores to offer up to two taste samples of beer of not more than three ounces each. The samples can be given free of charge between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to customers and visitors of legal drinking age. The beer samples, that amount to about a half can of beer have to be consumed on the premises.Prior to this law, stores could offer free wine samples, but not beer.
This week, the Legislature approved a state budget that includes a provision that allows liquor and grocery stores to hand out free samples of liquor. Each customer could have up to three samples of half an ounce or less, or about a shot-and-a-half. Stores could offer the samples between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The provision regarding liquor is consistent with the laws on wine and beer.
I support all of these laws because they’re good for business and tourism.
However, the provision on free liquor samples had no business being inserted into the budget compromise at the last minute. Like the bills on fee wine and beer samples, the free liquor sample proposal is a policy item and should have been submitted as separate legislation and debated, on its merits, in the legislative process.
Governor Doyle signs the budget later today and he’s not commenting on whether he’ll veto the free liquor samples.
Let’s forget about the free samples causing people to overindulge and cause havoc on the roads.
Even the executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Wisconsin, Kari Kinnard has said she doesn’t believe 1.5 ounces of liquor would be enough to put drivers over the legal limit. But she still wants a veto.
If the Governor vetoes this measure, it better be because it’s a policy item that didn’t belong in the budget.
That’s the only reason the veto pen should come out. Otherwise, the free sample idea is one with merits.
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