Progress made on Priority Issues (as of January 5, 2016):
Cigarette Minimum Presumptive Pricing — PFMA and its allies helped advance cigarette minimum pricing in the form of SB 691 and HB 1327. We were successful in moving SB 691 through the Senate and onto final consideration. HB 1327 was used as the fiscal code vehicle for the state budget and amended to include the language for an increase in the state minimum presumptive price. These were major developments and represented major progress on this priority issue.
Paid Leave Preemption — PFMA and its allies helped advance paid leave preemption in the form of SB 333. The bill would prohibit local municipalities from passing paid and unpaid leave ordinances. The legislation successfully passed the Senate with a wide bi-partisan vote and now awaits further action in the House.
Alcohol Retail and Wholesale Reform — Legislation allowing new privileges for many PFMA members successfully passed the House and Senate and was ultimately vetoed by the Governor. This is the first time that legislation privatizing the wholesale and retail operations of the PLCB passed both chambers of the legislature. A number of the reform proposals would have allowed PFMA members to sell beer and wine and would have allowed the creation of a new permit/license for certain retailers. PFMA supported many of these ideas and pushed for inclusion of all members in the legislation, and will continue to push for a more open and fair system of alcohol sales and distribution in 2016.
Voluntary GMO Labeling-- PFMA and its national partners helped advance a federal voluntary GMO labeling solution in the form of H.R. 1599, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. This legislation passed the U.S. House by a large margin and awaits further action in the U.S. Senate.
Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 — PFMA and its national partners helped advance H.R. 2017 which would help provide a permanent legislative solution to the menu labeling issue. This bill passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is awaiting further action by the full House.
Cigarette Minimum Presumptive Pricing — PFMA and its allies helped advance cigarette minimum pricing in the form of SB 691 and HB 1327. We were successful in moving SB 691 through the Senate and onto final consideration. HB 1327 was used as the fiscal code vehicle for the state budget and amended to include the language for an increase in the state minimum presumptive price. These were major developments and represented major progress on this priority issue.
Paid Leave Preemption — PFMA and its allies helped advance paid leave preemption in the form of SB 333. The bill would prohibit local municipalities from passing paid and unpaid leave ordinances. The legislation successfully passed the Senate with a wide bi-partisan vote and now awaits further action in the House.
Alcohol Retail and Wholesale Reform — Legislation allowing new privileges for many PFMA members successfully passed the House and Senate and was ultimately vetoed by the Governor. This is the first time that legislation privatizing the wholesale and retail operations of the PLCB passed both chambers of the legislature. A number of the reform proposals would have allowed PFMA members to sell beer and wine and would have allowed the creation of a new permit/license for certain retailers. PFMA supported many of these ideas and pushed for inclusion of all members in the legislation, and will continue to push for a more open and fair system of alcohol sales and distribution in 2016.
Voluntary GMO Labeling-- PFMA and its national partners helped advance a federal voluntary GMO labeling solution in the form of H.R. 1599, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015. This legislation passed the U.S. House by a large margin and awaits further action in the U.S. Senate.
Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 — PFMA and its national partners helped advance H.R. 2017 which would help provide a permanent legislative solution to the menu labeling issue. This bill passed out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is awaiting further action by the full House.