On June 30, 2023, the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (Division) in New Jersey issued a notice to all limited brewery licensees, including those on Temporary Authorization Permits (TAPs), stating the enforcement of the Special Ruling Authorizing Certain Activities by Holders of Limited Brewery Licenses and related conditions would be deferred through December 31, 2023. This deferment was in response to the pending legislation, S3038/A4630, aimed at modifying the privileges of craft manufacturers.
The Division has extended this deferral to January 16, 2024, due to Governor Phil Murphy's conditional veto of S3038 and the ongoing legislative discussions about the issue. This extension, initially set to expire at the end of 2023, halts enforcement of certain restrictions on breweries.
Governor Murphy had earlier set goals for reforming liquor licensing, including lifting the number of licenses and offering tax credits to current license holders. However, these proposals received limited support in the legislature and faced opposition from current license holders. Senate President Nick Scutari indicated a compromise is being considered, which is expected to be narrow in scope.
The legislature has scheduled another quorum on January 2 for introducing bills, with final voting sessions planned for January 8.
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.