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If Senate goes along, tax on bar drinks will vanish

Today is Day 45 of the 60-day session of the Florida Legislature.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 20, 2006

The House voted Wednesday to eliminate per drink taxes on beer, wine and liquor sold at bars.

Tavern and restaurant owners have complained for years that collecting the tax costs them more than they take in for the state. The tax is 3.3 cents per ounce of spirits or 4 ounces of wine, 1.3 cents per 12 ounces of beer and 2 cents per 12 ounces of cider.

The bill to eliminate the tax (HB 7105), sponsored by Rep. Fred Brummer, R-Apopka, passed 118-2 and went to the Senate.

If the tax is eliminated, it will cost the state about $51-million next year. That money has been going to fund Alzheimer's and cancer research. Another bill in the Legislature would replace those funds.

MILITARY FUNERALS: The House unanimously passed a bill subjecting people who disturb military funerals to a fine up of to $1,000 and jail time up to a year. Such protesters now face up to a $500 fine and 60 days in jail. The legislation (HB 7127) is aimed at members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., who have protested at funerals for soldiers killed in Iraq, carrying signs saying the deaths are God's punishment of America for tolerating homosexuality. The measure goes to the Senate, where a similar measure (SB 218) was approved Wednesday by the Criminal Justice Committee.

NO-FAULT INSURANCE: The Senate Judiciary Committee rejected appeals from two of the state's largest insurance companies and refused to let Florida's no-fault auto insurance system die. It still could expire, though, if the full Legislature fails to pass the bill that cleared the committee. It would re-enact the no-fault system that otherwise would automatically be repealed under existing law on Oct. 1, 2007. The law requires motorists to buy personal injury protection coverage, and provides up to $10,000 to pay for medical expenses resulting from a crash regardless of who is at fault. Representatives of State Farm Mutual and Allstate Corp. said antifraud provisions don't go far enough and it would be better to let the no-fault system die.

RISKY TRAVEL: A final Senate vote is expected today on a bill prohibiting life insurance companies from denying coverage based on a person's past travels or future plans unless data show the destination is unusually risky. Insurance companies dropped their opposition to the bill (SB 764), sponsored by Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, after the data-based exception was added on the floor Wednesday. Aronberg said many travelers have complained about being charged higher rates or denied life coverage because they were considering going to countries, such as Israel, that insurance companies consider to be risky without any supporting data.

RENDERING AID: Motorists involved in crashes on private property would have to stop, provide information and render aid, just as they are required to do on public roads, under a House-passed bill (HB 155) that's up for a final Senate vote today. If it passes it has to return to the House for consideration of an amendment the Senate added Wednesday: The measure doesn't apply to drivers in sanctioned races.

[Last modified April 20, 2006, 01:48:15]