House panel codifies decades‑old alcohol excise deduction, advances HB 1137

The Florida House Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 22 reported HB 1137 favorably after the sponsor said the bill restores statutory authority for a Division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Tobacco practice that allowed distributors to deduct broken or spoiled alcohol from excise tax reports. Representative Robinson presented the bill and said the administrative rule had governed the practice for roughly 40 years until the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee nullified it last November for lack of statutory authority.

A technical amendment (barcode 196909) described by the sponsor as stylistic only was adopted without debate. Industry witnesses included Jared Ross of the Florida Beer Wholesalers Association and Scott Ashley of the Wine and Spirits Distributors of Florida, who offered brief testimony in support. No members raised substantive questions after the amendment was adopted.

Chair Duggan then called the roll; the committee recorded 16 yeas and 0 nays, and the bill was reported favorably to the next committee. The committee did not set further floor action at the hearing; sponsors and staff may file implementing language as the bill moves through the process.