President’s Perspective

TLW SPRINGING INTO ACTION THIS SEASON

Spring is upon us. We survived another Wisconsin winter and I hope you all had a successful season! One sure sign of spring is the arrival of the Annual TLW Spring Conference coming up April 6–9. This conference is our 85th and will be hosted by the La Crosse City/ County Tavern League. The La Crosse league is an old pro at hosting us and always provides a good time, not to mention a few surprises thrown in.

We have a great list of events and speakers lined up for all attendees, including keynote speaker Craig Purser, president and CEO of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), and seminars on food safety and labor laws. I encourage everyone that can take the time away from their business — even just for a day — to try and attend. It also helps that La Crosse is a great place to visit other members with dozens of establishments within walking distance of the La Crosse Center.

For the full agenda, lodging options, registration form, exhibitor list and details on the TLW Live Auction, please visit our website at tlw.org and search under events, or check out pages 11–17 of this issue of On Premise.

This last winter was a very busy one for the TLW in Madison. We monitored, and fought for and against many bills that would affect your business and income. (See Pages 22–25 for details on the legislative front.) The 2019-20 legislative session was highlighted by: • The TLW would secure a $25 increase to the SafeRide surcharge, generating up to $500,000 annually for the state’s SafeRide Program, with the passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 869. SafeRide is an 80/20 state grant program, with up to 80% of the funds coming from the state. There are two state funding sources. In 2017-18, for example, 4.9% of the driver improvement surcharge generated $449,000 and the $50 SafeRide surcharge generated $554,300. • Passage of AB 840 would require the Department of Workforce Development to permit the use of an electronic signature in a point-of-sale (POS) system to certify an employee tip declaration, protecting TLW members from frivolous lawsuits. • 2019 Wisconsin Act 166 streamlines the process of obtaining an operator’s license by allowing the governing bodies

The TLW has always been known for its grassroots efforts and we must continue to make our voices heard.

of municipalities to designate someone to issue the license. • 2019 Wisconsin Act 6 eliminated the 4-liter restriction on sales of intoxicating liquor from a Class B establishment for off-premise consumption. • The Department of Revenue (DOR) will enforce illegal video gaming at Class A retailers.

With the upcoming elections this fall, it is more important than ever for you — our members and our local leagues — to become involved in local elections. The TLW has always been known for its grassroots efforts and we must continue to make our voices heard.

I also look forward to seeing the great turnout at Legislative Day this month. Thank you in advance to all who plan to take the time to attend. It is very important to let our legislators know that you care and are paying attention to what they are doing in Madison.

Please continue to monitor all of the TLW’s efforts on our social media platforms, including: • Facebook (facebook.com/TavernLeague or facebook.com/ TavernLeagueofWisconsin) • Twitter (@tavernleaguewi) • YouTube (youtube.com/channel/ UCfYiCKbijxeTr1jMzMmQvoA)

I look forward to seeing all of you in La Crosse.

Salute!

Chris Marsicano TLW President