Liquor: distribution; general amendments; provide for. Amends secs. 303, 526, 607, 609b, 903b & 1025 of 1998 PA 58 (MCL 436.1303 et seq.) & adds secs. 412, 609k & 804. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0513'25

Establishes a Michigan craft beverage council fund and allows the council to accept money from any source to implement its duties.

Expands the craft beverage council membership to include representatives of cider makers, large brewers, small distillers, and distillers producing more than 60,000 gallons of spirits annually.

Creates a new section allowing wholesalers to sell nonalcoholic beer to brewers and microbrewers for consumption at approved tasting rooms.

Establishes a special license for nonprofit organizations to host beer festivals, limiting them to 6 events per year.

Allows sports or entertainment venues at public universities to display illuminated advertising signs exceeding 3,500 square inches under specific conditions.

Permits vendors to provide philanthropic gifts or sponsorship payments to colleges and universities that hold retail licenses, provided the gifts do not include alcohol and are not contingent on alcohol purchases.

Adds definitions for 'cider', 'large brewer', and 'technical information' to clarify industry terms and lobbying activities.

Requires retailers to pay escalating administrative fees for bounced checks, ranging from $50 for the first violation to $250 for subsequent violations within 12 months.

New Section 412 allows wholesalers to sell nonalcoholic beer to brewers/microbrewers for tasting rooms, promoting public health while maintaining the 3-tier distribution system.

New Section 526 establishes special licensing for beer festivals, limiting events to 6 per year and restricting beer sales to consumption only at the licensed event.

New Section 609k permits vendors to make philanthropic gifts to colleges/universities with retail licenses, subject to restrictions on alcohol-related conditions.

Section 609k allows vendors to provide illuminated advertising signs at university sports/entertainment venues exceeding 3,500 square inches.

Section 804 adds stricter enforcement by suspending retailer licenses for 14 days after 6+ dishonored payments within 12 consecutive months.

Section 903b was substantially rewritten to clarify payment violation procedures and administrative fees for dishonored payments.

Section 607 was modified to clarify licensing restrictions for various beverage industry participants and their ability to hold multiple licenses.

Multiple formatting and structural changes including reorganization of sections, addition of page headers, and consolidation of related provisions.

Removed the entire Section 105 which contained definitions for 'Alcohol', 'Alcohol vapor device', 'Alcoholic liquor', 'Alternating proprietorship', 'Approved tasting room', 'Authorized distribution agent', 'Bar', 'Beer', 'Bottle', 'Brand', 'Brand extension', 'Brandy', 'Brandy manufacturer', 'Brewer', and other alcohol-related terms.

Removed the definition of 'Alcohol' which previously defined it as the product of distillation of fermented liquid, excluding denatured alcohol.

Added new Section 303 establishing the Michigan Craft Beverage Council with specific voting members representing retail food establishments, restaurants, wine makers, brewers, distillers, and other industry stakeholders.

Added term limits for council members (maximum 2 consecutive terms), established 3-year terms with staggered start dates, and specified that the director of agriculture and rural development serves as chairperson.

Added compensation provisions allowing nongovernmental council members to receive up to $50 per day for attendance and travel expenses.

Added authority for the council to award grants for research into winemaking and brewing/distilling, including methods of growing, marketing, and product development, subject to appropriation.

Added comprehensive definitions for 'Alcohol', 'Alcohol vapor device', 'Alcoholic liquor', 'Alternating proprietorship', 'Approved tasting room', 'Authorized distribution agent', 'Bar', 'Beer', 'Bottle', 'Brand', 'Brand extension', 'Brandy', 'Brandy manufacturer', 'Brewer', and related terms to modernize regulatory language.

Added definition for 'Alcohol vapor device' to regulate devices that produce inhalable alcohol vapor through bubbling air or oxygen through alcoholic liquor.

Added definition for 'Alternating proprietorship' to cover arrangements where multiple wine makers, brewers, distillers, or mixed spirit drink manufacturers take turns using the same space and equipment.

Added definition for 'Approved tasting room' to clarify that approved tasting rooms are not considered retail licensees except for specific sections.

Added definition for 'Authorized distribution agent' to specify persons approved to store or deliver spirits for suppliers or the commission.

Added definition for 'Beer' to clarify that beverages with 0.0% alcohol by volume are included in the definition.

Added definition for 'Brand' to identify how suppliers distinguish their products from others.

Added definition for 'Brand extension' to cover brands that incorporate features of preexisting brands.

Added definition for 'Brandy manufacturer' to specify who may manufacture and sell brandy at retail.

Added definition for 'Brewer' to specify licensing requirements for beer manufacturing and retail sales.

Updated section references from 303, 526, 607, 609b, 903b, and 1025 to include section 105, and changed the referenced Public Acts from 2018 PA 154 and 2020 PA 111 to include 2025 PA 9.

Removed the entire section 303 text that established the Michigan craft beverage council, including provisions about council membership, appointment terms, and grant authority for research and industry promotion.

Removed all of section 105, which previously contained definitions for terms like 'alcohol,' 'alcohol vapor device,' 'alcoholic liquor,' 'alternating proprietorship,' 'approved tasting room,' 'authorized distribution agent,' 'bar,' 'beer,' 'bottle,' 'brand,' 'brand extension,' 'brandy,' 'brandy manufacturer,' 'brewer,' and 'bottling.'

Added new section 303 provisions that rename the grape and wine industry council to the Michigan craft beverage council, expand its membership to include representatives from various beverage sectors, and establish term limits and compensation rules for council members.

Added grant-making authority allowing the council to award funds for research into fruits, hops, barley, beer, and spirits, as well as for industry support projects including market surveys and promotion of Michigan agricultural products.

Changed the council's name and expanded its scope from focusing only on grape and wine to encompassing all craft beverages including beer, spirits, cider, and mixed spirit drinks.