Senate bill opposed by Mother’s passes

A Missouri Senate bill that drew the ire of Mother’s Brewing Co. cleared the Senate and moved on to the House of Representatives.

A clause in Senate Bill 919 allows brewers to lease portable refrigeration units to retail store owners. According to a Facebook post signed Feb. 29 by Mother’s owner Jeff Schrag, the clause is “an expense that small brewers simply cannot afford or compete against.”

Missouri Digital News reports the bill gained the 18 minimum votes required for passage on March 3 after two leading GOP candidates for state treasurer, bill sponsor Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, and Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, argued over the proposed law change.

Schmitt said the bill is helpful to all beer sellers, as well as retailers.

"One in five consumers will leave without buying beer if they can't find the cold beer of their choice," Schmitt said. "And it's the No. 2 and No. 4 category in C-stores and in grocery stores, respectively, so there's a lot being sold. The more cold beer that is available, retailers are able to participate more in the free enterprise system and sell more beer."

Brown countered, saying the bill is more favorable toward larger companies. He later accused Schmitt and the bill of being in favor of larger breweries, such as Anheuser-Busch InBev, located in Schmitt's St. Louis area.

"I think we have to proceed very carefully and not favor just the larger breweries over the smaller businesses (that have) actually created more jobs over the last few years," Brown said.

In a separate Facebook post, Mother’s officials said they were “disheartened” by the news the bill had passed the Senate, but would continue to fight it as it moves through the House.

“We have not had much support in the House, so we will soon be reaching out for your advocacy again,” the post reads.

The House heard a first reading on the bill March 3.