Family Winemakers of California monitors and lobbies a variety of public policy issues on behalf of its members. Legislation ranging from changes to the tied-house laws (the state’s alcohol laws) to environmental issues that affect winery and vineyard operations must be identified, their impact gauged and action taken.

The scope of the effort is significant. Each year the California Legislature introduces over 2,000 bills. And state agencies, such as the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control or departments within the California Environmental Protection Agency that regulate business activities, formulate new regulations based on recent laws or update old regulations. In addition, Family Winemakers monitors regional regulatory agency activity and federal actions by the Tax and Trade Bureau.

Family Winemakers is sponsoring SB 1101, SB 1273 and SB 1336  (Wiggins) to simplify existing permit programs and expand activities at "meet the winemaker dinners".  The association is also closely involved in ongoing efforts to defeat per-drink fees on wine (AB 1694 -- Beall).  FWC also has worked to protect winemakers and non-profits from social host third-party liability claims (AB 2486 -- Feuer).

SB 1101 -- Meet the Winemaker Dinners
Sponsored by FWC to allow participating wineries to offer samples from bottles at winemaker dinners in restaurants.  Currently, the law only allows minimal amounts from tanks or barrels.

Set for hearing April 13 in Senate Governmental Organization Committee.