Business growth bills killed by lawmakers

The Town Talk

Two state legislators with bills aimed at encouraging growth of Louisiana-generated businesses had their hopes dashed by a House committee on May 3. They wanted to establish rules for retailers and third party delivery services to deliver factory-sealed alcoholic beverages to customers.

Waitr, which was founded in Lake Charles, and Rouses Markets, headquartered in Thibodaux, were eager to expand their delivery market, according to a report in The Advocate.

“Customers itching to order a bottle of wine with their Waitr order had their hopes dashed Thursday after two alcohol delivery bills were killed in the House Judiciary Committee,” the newspaper said.

Sen. Dan “Blade” Morrish, R-Jennings, and Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley, were authors of the two measures. Their effort had the support of Rep. Tanner Magee, RHouma. Morrish said they made changes to their legislation to accommodate the concerns and set up a system of adequately licensing and policing the new service.

Morrish had Magee amend his bill by placing rulemaking authority with the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. However, the ATC commissioner vetoed the idea, saying there were issues with the proposal and concerns about what it would cost the ATC to regulate the new service.

Magee said, “If Louisiana constantly waits for everybody else to figure it out for us so we can go and adopt their measures, we’re always going to be last ... We always talk about creating economic opportunity and supporting local business. What we’re asking you to do here today is to commit to support these local businesses as they grow and to build out the infrastructure to allow them to do that.”

Numerous safeguards were built into the legislation. Morrish’s bill said the services had to be properly registered, hold a valid alcoholic beverage permit, maintain sufficient liability insurance, monitor the routes of its employees during deliveries and conduct in-person interviews and background checks of all its employees.

As state lawmakers do so often, they only agreed to create a task force to study the issue. Both of these delivery services have become successful because they were innovative and forward-thinking, qualities all too rare at the Legislature.

-- Lake Charles American Press