Last month, Massachusetts announced the creation of the Treasurer’s Alcohol Task Force, which will create an independent group of professionals to review the state’s legal and regulatory framework of alcohol beverages. See Treasurer Deborah Goldberg Announces Alcohol Task Force. The Task Force will generate an assessment of the current climate and advise on any necessary improvements. E. Macey Russell, Partner at law firm Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, will chair the group.
The Massachusetts Treasurer, Deb Goldberg, remarked that the state’s alcohol beverage laws and regulatory structure has needed review for some time. The Task Force, she said, is critical to improving the structure while maintaining safe and effective oversight of alcohol beverages.
The Task Force will establish working groups that will comprise of industry stakeholders and will focus on specific areas and topics. A preliminary report will be provided to the Treasurer within six months of convening.
We have seen similar task forces or working groups formed in states like New York in an attempt to modernize the alcohol beverage laws in other states. The groups have worked well to recommend significant changes to state laws for alcohol beverage industry members, as well as to point out notable issues. Of course, while not every issue makes it to final recommendations, these types of groups have been solid forces in devising critical assessments of much needed changes for what can often be archaic laws or regulations.
For more information on wine or alcohol law, or labeling regulations, please contact Lindsey Zahn.
DISCLAIMER: This blog post is for general information purposes only, is not intended to constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship results. Please consult your own attorney for legal advice.