Alcopops ? the fruity 6 percent alcohol drinks ? will continue to be taxed as beer and available for sale in many convenience stores in Maryland as Gov. Martin O?Malley let a bill defining them as beer go into law without his signature.
O?Malley had been heavily lobbied on both sides of the issue.
Attorney General Doug Gansler and groups trying to curb underage drinking had put pressure on the governor to veto the law.
Alcohol makers, distributors and retailers, who had worked to pass the bill, pressed the governor to continue to designate the drinks as beer, as federal law, the Maryland comptroller and many other states have done.
O?Malley was planning on signing the legislation, then held his signature after meeting with a group of advocates against youth alcohol abuse.
“The absence of my signature should indicate to the General Assembly that there is work left to be done,” O?Malley said in a statement.
“In particular I look forward to returning to the flavored malt beverage issue during the next legislative session, working with advocates on both sides, to build a broader consensus for regulating these alcoholic beverages.”
The governor had repeatedly said he thought the legislature didn?t spend enough time considering the legislation. It was introduced to counter Gansler?s official opinion that alcopops should be taxed as distilled spirits.
Jackie Gillan, vice president of Advocates for Highway Safety who organized a group that met with the governor seeking his veto, was more than disappointed.
“He?s the leader of our state. He?s supposed to make the tough decisions. You call this leadership?” she asked.
O?Malley also announced that among the more than 140 bills he will sign into law today is a measure increasing the fines for furnishing or allowing underage consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Of the 748 bills enacted by the legislature this year, the governor vetoed one ? a bill that would have required the Department of the Environment to reimburse Anne Arundel for the cost of environmental health monitoring and testing. He wants the legislature to look at a statewide measure next year.
