Broward beverage law exemption bill falls flat in 2nd committee

Lawmakers killed a local bill that would have exempted a private Broward business from following Florida’s alcoholic beverage laws.

The measure (HB 4039) by Rep. Chip LaMarca would have allowed the Florida Panthers’ contracted concessionaire to sidestep Florida’s three-tier system, which separates the spirits industry into suppliers, distributors and vendors.

On paper, the legislation would’ve extended a privilege some publicly owned venues received years ago. Now that local government doesn’t run the venues, opponents said the allowance gave one company an unjust competitive advantage.

The bill cleared its first House committee last month, but died in its second stop this week.

– Jesse Scheckner, Florida Politics