Mustio: Updates from Harrisburg

Uncorking the pros of liquor privatization

A few short days after the PA House cast a historic vote in favor of House Bill 790, which contains my commonsense liquor privatization amendment, to end full government control of wine and spirits sales in the Commonwealth, I received a photograph from a constituent vacationing in Florida.

In particular, the Now Hiring sign photographed below “uncorks” just some of the pro liquor privatization benefits that await Pennsylvania under House Bill 790, especially in the area of job creation.

Just like Florida and several other states, I have personally visited such as Washington and Oregon, if Pennsylvania’s state liquor store system were sold off, or privatized under House Bill 790 our entire Commonwealth stands to benefit from a net job gain.

On the retail side, moving from Pennsylvania’s current 600 outlets to as many as 1,800 means there will be more career opportunities in new businesses looking to hire quality and knowledgeable employees.

Many of these new chain wine and liquor stores also pay good, family-sustaining salaries with benefits. The bottom line, our current, hardworking state store workers would be immediately scooped up to fill these private sector jobs. 

Unprecedented opportunities for beer distributors

House Bill 790 is also a huge opportunity for Pennsylvania beer distributors. In fact, this legislation, as amended, is a lifeline.

Under the current system, these distributors are facing significant competition from the approximately 120 convenience/grocery stores with restaurant licenses that allow them to sell six-packs. Soon, that number will double or triple. Unless something is done, most of the smaller or “mom and pop” beer distributors will be out of business.

Again, the major intent of this amended version of House Bill 790 is to make beer distributors operating in Pennsylvania a convenient one-stop shop for all of their customers’ needs with regard to wine, spirits and beer. Beer distributors will be the only facilities in the state where consumers can buy wine, spirits and beer in one place.

Distributors that do opt to upgrade to a wine and/or spirits license will have 48 months to pay for the license. Distributors will also now be able to buy up to five licenses. Package reforms will allow distributors to better compete with six-pack shops, allowing them to sell growlers, six-packs and 12-packs in any quantity.

House Bill 790 is now awaiting consideration in the state Senate. I will continue to highlight the many benefits liquor privatization holds for Pennsylvania in the coming weeks.  
  

Bill to track non-prescription drug purchases earns house approval

In an effort to prevent the manufacture of methamphetamines and other illegal drugs, the House recently voted in favor of legislation to implement real-time tracking of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine purchases in Pennsylvania. 

House Bill 602 would enter Pennsylvania into the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) program, giving law enforcement and retailers real-time access to track potentially illegal purchases and ingredients.

The real-time tracking would be administered through the NPLEx program, a multi-state electronic sales tracking and blocking system funded by the manufacturers of medicines containing pseudoephedrine. This system allows law enforcement to track purchases made in Pennsylvania and in all participating states to prevent meth cooks from crossing state lines to make their purchases.

House Bill 602 upholds current purchase quantity limitations and maintains that consumers will not have direct access to non-prescription products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. Consumers would still need to present valid government-issued photo identification for such a purchase.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Visit RepMustio.com and Facebook.com/RepMustio for the latest legislative updates.