An Alcohol Beverage Regulatory Body

The new alcohol enforcement agency would have the power to enforce only the provisions of Chapter 125. Most license states have administrative agencies dedicated to oversight of the alcohol beverage industry. These entities have staff familiar with trade practices who play a significant role in education — for industry participants, local governments, law enforcement and the public. States without these agencies typically have dedicated alcohol divisions or units structured within other, larger government departments. Wisconsin currently has neither.

Under its current structure, about a dozen employees within the Wisconsin DOR handle alcohol beverage regulation, in addition to other responsibilities. This proposal would create a new Division of Alcohol Beverages to enforce the state’s alcohol beverage laws and regulations. It would be charged with administering regulatory programs, encouraging regulatory transparency, promoting statutory changes to create clarity, consistency and simplicity in regulations, and ensuring active, consistent enforcement of laws. More specifically:

• The division would be dedicated to alcohol beverage education, regulation and enforcement.

• The division would be headed by an administrator appointed by the DOR secretary, subject to Senate confirmation.

• The administrator would be a full-time, salaried employee, appointed outside the classified service.

• Staff directly reporting to the administrator would include a director of enforcement, director of legal education and community outreach, and director of legal services.

• Field agents working across the state would report to the director of enforcement.

• Division positions would be filled with existing DOR employees.

• Staff would be subject to conflict-of-interest statutes.