JEFFERSON CITY • State lawmakers appear to be trying to work toward a compromise on the contentious liquor legislation that several senators held up in a filibuster on Tuesday.
The House and Senate today agreed to conference on the bill, meaning a small group of legislators from each chamber will try to work out the differences they have and send compromise legislation back to the full bodies to consider.
The liquor franchise legislation — proposed in both the House and Senate earlier this year — appeared to have been stalled in committee until it was revived as an amendment to an unrelated beer bill last week.
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The underlying legislation would allow homebrewers to pour their beers at festivals, competitions and charity events but not sell them – a response to an unexpected ban on homebrewed beer at last year’s St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival.
It remains to be seen what kind of compromise lawmakers will try to reach in conference. They could alter the liquor portion to address some senators' concerns with that provision, or it could be stripped entirely to pave way for the homebrewed beer bill to move on its own.
Additionally, the full House and Senate will each have to approve any potential deal that emerges from conference.
The legislative session ends Friday.
House conferees on the bill: Rep. Caleb Jones (R-California), Rep. Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) and House Minority Leader Jake Hummel (D-St. Louis).
Senate conferees: To be named.
The liquor bill is SB114.
Elizabeth Crisp covers Missouri politics and state government for the Post-Dispatch. Follow her on Twitter at @elizabethcrisp.
