Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass bill that increases the liquor excise tax rate, effective July 1, 2014.

Highlights:

• Authorizes counties to submit an ordinance to be approved by voters to establish a local liquor excise tax on a wholesaler distributing alcoholic beverages to retailers that does not exceed the following amounts (Sec. 3):
• Not more than $1.08 per liter of spirituous liquor;
• Not more than $0.51 per gallon of beer that is not manufactured by a “microbrewer”;
• Not more than $0.36 per liter of wine that is not manufactured by a “small winegrower”;
• Not more than $0.54 per liter of fortified wine; and
• Not more than $0.72 per gallon of cider.

• Defines “microbrewer” as an individual who produces the following amounts of beer (Sec. 2):
• Less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year from 2014 through 2023; and
• Less than 5,000 barrels of beer per year from 2024 and subsequent years.

• Defines “small winegrower” as a winegrower who produces less than 1.5 million liters of wine per year (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes a county to enact the local liquor excise tax for no more than 4 years, after which the county can submit another ordinance to the voters to extend the term of the tax for no more than another 4 years (Sec. 3).

• Requires the county to solely appropriate tax revenue from the local liquor excise tax to direct program services for the prevention and treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse within the county (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits the liquor excise tax from being proposed for a period of 1 year after the election if the ordinance does not pass the voters (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text