A group of former police officers is urging Gov. Kathy Hockle to veto a bill that would allow New York craft distilleries and cider breweries to ship directly to customers, arguing it would lead to more underage drinking.
Since 2005, New York wineries have had the right to ship wine directly to your home.
“Direct-to-consumer delivery has been proven to weaken the regulation of alcoholic beverages and increase underage drinking,” the Coalition for Responsible Alcohol Delivery, led by Edgar Domenech, a former New York City sheriff and former deputy director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said in a new letter to Hochle.
“A nationwide investigation revealed that in jurisdictions where direct delivery is legal, it is common for alcohol to be delivered to underage consumers without age verification,” the group said.
“The state’s recent debacle with the introduction of recreational marijuana should serve as a lesson. Expanding access to adult-use products without proper enforcement is a recipe for disaster.”
The group argued that the State Liquor Control Board lacked the administrative capacity to respond to significantly increased enforcement.
“Now is not the time to weaken our state’s liquor laws to enrich a few private businesses at the expense of public health and safety,” the letter states.
The bill has passed both houses of Congress but has not yet reached Rep. Hawkle’s desk.
“Governor Hokull will be reviewing the bill,” a spokesman told The Post.
New York is home to about 200 craft distilleries, whose alcoholic products, such as bourbon, are sourced from local farms and could benefit from being shipped through the online marketplace.
One of the lawmakers who drafted the bill argued that the opposition group, made up of retired police officers and regulators, was defending the liquor industry.
The Metropolitan Packaging Association and the State Liquor Dealers Association oppose the bill, as do the major distributors.
“They didn’t exist until two months ago. They’re a front group,” said state Sen. James Skoufis (D-Cornwall), a member of Domenech’s group.
“If there were actual safety concerns, which there aren’t, there would be legitimate police organizations objecting, but there aren’t,” Skoufis said.
State Senator Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn) held a press conference Monday at Burrows Intense Ginger Liqueur & NY Tasting Room in Brooklyn’s Industry City complex to urge Governor Hoffle to approve the bill.
Burrows is known for its handcrafted ginger liqueur and hopes to ship 44-proof bottles directly to consumers in New York and across the country.
Gounardes said his district has more small distilleries than anywhere in the state, and several of them were in attendance.
“this [law] “It will be a huge economic boost for small businesses here,” the senator said.
“This bill is a step toward fairness,” said Brian Fackett, president of the New York State Distillers Guild. “It will allow bottles to be shipped across the country.”
