Massachusetts Amendment Would Let Brewers Switch Distribs at Will

Dear Client:Yesterday, Massachusetts senator Barbara L'Italien filed a proposal to effectively repeal the state's beer franchise law. Amendment 128 is piggybacking on a larger economic bill, SB 2423, that was set to be heard today.If passed, brewers could essentially switch distributors as they please. Prior franchise reform efforts like HB 245 sought enforcement of contracts (to trump franchise law) and movement for fair market value compensation, for small brewers under 20% of a distributor's annual sales. That bill has made