Around the States Ontario's Ford stays silent on restocking U.S. alcohol after talks collapse ONTARIO / CANADA • Global News • Aug 21 Premier Doug Ford has not said whether the LCBO will resume purchases of American alcohol, days after Prime Minister Carney asked provinces to restock; Ford said in July, "The fastest and only way to get U.S. alcohol back on Ontario shelves is for the U.S. to drop its illegal tariffs on Canada," and in June, "once that deal's done, I'm going to be sitting down and bringing all the booze back on shelves in Ontario." Why it matters: The LCBO is one of the world's largest single alcohol buyers — the provincial restocking commitments reported last week now hinge on a deal that fell through, so U.S. producers' Canadian listings remain on hold. Four Texas hemp retailers file new federal lawsuit over the state's THC ban TEXAS • KERA News • Aug 21 The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas against the Department of State Health Services, argues the agency exceeded its authority in reclassifying hemp-derived substances as Schedule I drugs and that the ban conflicts with the 2018 Farm Bill, citing more than 36,000 lost jobs and a 50%-plus drop in retail sales; it is the second federal challenge to the ban filed this month, adding economic-injury and market-exclusivity claims to the earlier interstate-commerce case. Schumer backs $500K federal study of a craft-beverage logistics cooperative in New York NEW YORK • Finger Lakes Daily News • Aug 21 Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), meeting with Finger Lakes producers, said he supports the New York Wine & Grape Foundation's application for $500,000 through the SBA's Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement program to study a producer-owned storage and shipping cooperative, after a wave of disruptions including RNDC's July Chapter 11 filing and regional distributor closures. Why it matters: Distributor consolidation is narrowing routes to market in the nation's second-largest craft beer state — a shared logistics model, if it advances, would be an alternative channel worth tracking for any producer selling into New York. California Senate committee removes first-offense interlock mandate from DUI bill CALIFORNIA • CalMatters • Aug 21 The Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D), amended AB 1830 to remove its central provision — requiring ignition interlock devices for first-time DUI convictions statewide — leaving current law, which mandates the devices only for repeat offenders or injury crashes; bill author Asm. Cottie Petrie-Norris (D) said she is working to re-amend the measure before the session ends. Why it matters: As amended, the bill imposes no new requirements this session — California's interlock rules stay as they are for now, with the measure still in play through the August 31 session deadline. |