Tony Evers signs more than 40 bills into law, including overhaul of the alcohol industry

Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday signed into law a measure to overhaul the state’s alcohol industry, despite some lingering concerns that the proposal could drastically harm Wisconsin wedding barns.

Supporters of the bill have said it provides much-needed regulatory clarity to the state’s alcoholic beverage industry.
“Ensuring that our state’s regulations and policies are modernized and updated to meet this ever-evolving industry remains a priority for the safety of consumers, producers, and Wisconsin as a whole,” Evers said in a statement.

The new law would, among other provisions, transfer all alcohol beverage regulations to a newly created Division of Alcohol Beverages within the state Department of Revenue. The new division would enforce state laws that pertain to breweries, wineries and distilleries, as well as retailers and distributors of alcoholic beverages.

Under the new law, the new division will be able to appoint “special agents” and other employees to carry out permitting, as well as audits, enforcement, education and legal functions. The bill stipulates that any agents employed by the division cannot have any financial interest in the alcoholic beverage industry.

The law also allows brewers to operate retail locations without tap rooms to sell beer and expand hours of operations for wineries, allowing those establishments to stay open as late as bars.