Florida HB 1537: Education

Bill Text

HB 1537 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1537-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to the beverage law; amending s. 2
561.221, F.S.; authorizing a craft brewery to conduct 3
tastings and sales of malt beverages at certain 4
events; requiring the Division of Alcoholic Beverages 5
and Tobacco to issue permits for such tastings and 6
sales to such craft breweries; requiring such craft 7
breweries to pay all entry fees and have a 8
representative present at such events; providing that 9
the permit is valid only for the duration and physical 10
location of the event; defining the term "craft 11
brewery"; amending s. 561.37, F.S.; deleting a 12
requirement that manufacturers and brewers file a 13
surety bond with the division; amending s. 563.02, 14
F.S.; revising a requirement for certain manufacturers 15
to pay a specified license tax; creating s. 563.042, 16
F.S.; defining terms; authorizing contract brewers to 17
transfer malt beverages to contracting brewers' 18
facilities up to a specified amount; authorizing a 19
contract brewer to contract with one or more 20
contracting brewers for a specified purpose; providing 21
that the contract brewer is responsible for complying 22
with federal and state law and for paying all federal 23
and state taxes; providing that title to the malt 24
beverages remains with the contract brewer until the 25

HB 1537 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1537-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

malt beverages are removed from the licensed premises; 26
requiring contract brewers and contracting brewers to 27
maintain certain records required by the division; 28
requiring licensed manufacturers that wish to engage 29
in contract brewing to notify the division of its 30
intention on forms provided by the division; requiring 31
such licensed manufacturers to make a full and 32
complete report to the division by a certain date; 33
specifying what a contract brewer and a contracting 34
brewer must include in such reports; requiring such 35
licensed manufacturers to maintain all records 36
required by the Beverage Law; requiring that an entity 37
seeking to become a host brewer or a guest brewer for 38
alternating proprietorship brewing first qualify as a 39
brewer with the National Revenue Center; requiring 40
such entities to submit a form to the division with 41
specified information; requiring that a guest brewer's 42
malt beverages be separate and identifiable from the 43
malt beverages of all other tenants at the host 44
brewer's licensed premises; requiring a guest brewer 45
to make a full and complete report of specified 46
information to the division by a certain day each 47
month; requiring a guest brewer to comply with all 48
federal and state law and to pay all federal and state 49
taxes; providing that title to the malt beverages 50

HB 1537 2026

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remains with the guest brewer; prohibiting 51
manufacturers or vendors from engaging in contract 52
brewing or alternating proprietorship brewing; 53
authorizing the division to adopt rules; providing an 54
effective date. 55
56
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 57
58
Section 1. Paragraph (f) is added to subsection (2) of 59
section 561.221, Florida Statutes, to read: 60
561.221 Licensing of manufacturers and distributors as 61
vendors and of vendors as manufacturers; conditions and 62
limitations.— 63
(2) 64
(f)1. A craft brewery licensed under this subsection may 65
conduct tastings and sales of malt beverages produced by the 66
brewery at fairs, trade shows, farmers markets, expositions, and 67
festivals in this state. The division shall issue permits to 68
craft breweries for such tastings and sales. A craft brewery 69
must pay all entry fees and must have a brewery representative 70
present during the event. The permit is limited to the duration 71
and physical location of the event. 72
2. As used in this paragraph, the term "craft brewery" 73
means a manufacturer, whether licensed in this state or in 74
another state, which produces in total fewer than 60,000 barrels 75

HB 1537 2026

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of malt beverages per calendar year. 76
Section 2. Section 561.37, Florida Statutes, is amended to 77
read: 78
561.37 Bond for payment of taxes.— Each manufacturer and 79
each distributor shall file with the division a surety bond 80
acceptable to the division in the sum of $25,000 as surety for 81
the payment of all taxes, provided, however, that when in the 82
discretion of the division the amount of business done by the