WHAT'S NEXT

The Governor of CA: Sign SB 32, Senator Mark Leno's Infused Spirits Bill Into Law
  1. Signatures
    641 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. The Governor of CA (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The Governor of CA
      • Governor Jerry Brown
  2. Created By
    The Bon Vivants .
    San Francisco, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Sep 21, 2011

Only a few weeks after Change.org members demanded that Governor Brown lift the nearly century old ban on infusing alcohol in California, he signed SB 32 into law! 

Because of an urgency clause included in the bill, SB 32 took effect immediately after being signed - meaning bartenders and restaurants can start serving infusions without fear of the California Alcoholic Beverage Commission coming after them! And just in time for SF Cocktail Week!

This is a huge victory for bartenders and restaurant owners throughout the state and a boom to California’s economy. Petition creators and San Francisco bartenders Josh Harris and Scott Biard say thank you to the more than 600 people who joined their campaign!

Senator Mark Leno's SB 32 shows an immense amount of social awareness. The bill would overturn a decades old law put into effect around the time of prohibition. The original law was intended to control the production of spirits being distilled outside of the parameters of the government (i.e. those not paying taxes on illegally distilled spirits, or rather, moonshine).

As we move farther away from this time, the spirit of that law couldn't be more irrelevant, while the letter of that law has proven incredibly problematic for a very large group of people - those hardworking and creative people in the bar and restaurant business.

Unfortunately, in efforts to show pro-activity and help themselves secure future funding, the California ABC has pointed to the letter of this law and its minutia as justification for the harassment of certain bars and bartenders. Many of these targeted bars and bartenders are those who pay close attention to the craft of the cocktail and the elevated guest experience, only using the finest, freshest ingredients and most progressive techniques. These craft bartenders have now been put into a position where, in certain situations, they must serve an inferior product to the guest or abandon that which gives them, or their establishment their identity and individuality. They have been forced to deviate from that which is creative and artistic, ultimately leaving the guest with a potentially bland experience.

As part of a profession that is ever-increasingly building community through the act of eating and drinking well, with attention to quality products and creative artistry, we urge you to sign this petition allowing our craft to continue to grow and serve you better.

Tell Gov. Brown to sign Senate Bill 32 and stop the enforcement of a post-prohibition era law! 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Sign SB 32, Senator Mark Leno's Infused Spirits Bill Into Law

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Governor Jerry Brown.

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Sign SB 32, Senator Mark Leno's Infused Spirits Bill Into Law

Senator Mark Leno's bill shows an immense amount of social awareness. The bill would overturn a decades old law put into effect around the time of prohibition that banned infused alcohol. As we move farther away from this time, the spirit of that law couldn't be more irrelevant, while the letter of that law has proven incredibly problematic for a very large group of people - those hardworking and creative people in the bar and restaurant business.

Unfortunately, in efforts to show pro-activity and help themselves secure future funding, the California ABC has pointed to the letter of this law and its minutia as justification for the harassment of certain bars and bartenders. Many of these targeted bars and bartenders are those who pay close attention to the craft of the cocktail and the elevated guest experience, only using the finest, freshest ingredients and most progressive techniques.

Following in the footsteps of the culinary arts, craft cocktails have become incredibly popular. In a world where people have such strong preferences about what and how they eat, it is a logical sidestep that these same people express strong preferences about what and how they drink. To restrict a bartenders ability to infuse cacao nib into a bottle of bourbon for a specialty cocktail, or craft a unique proprietary bitters or tincture to add value to their business and uniqueness to their guest's evening is to restrict a bartenders ability to do their job as creatively and efficaciously as possible.

I urge you to sign SB 32 into law and to do away with a prohibition era law and support California's small businesses.
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Sincerely,

[Your name]

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