“The real crux of what our legislative agenda looks like is quite aggressive,” Aubuchon said of the DiCeglie bill. “It’s more aggressive than what some other states have done in the past because we want to be more free market and lessen regulation for our breweries.”

Mark Delegal, a lobbyist for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, told senators Tuesday that they can lower prescription drug costs in other ways, including cracking down on pharmacy benefit managers that, he said, don’t pass along savings and rebates to consumers.

Josh Aubuchon: “This is about adapting a badly aging system created in 1935 to a brave new world — a world that now includes over 260 craft breweries in Florida with an economic impact of more than $3.5 billion.”

Mark Delegal: “The best course of action is to stem the tide of litigation with steady and appropriate legislation. We need to make it more difficult to file such meritless third-party bad-faith lawsuits. This is not to say we make it impossible for people to seek proper damages when they are wronged, but rather, take heed of the IRC report’s warnings and make sure there is no longer an incentive to pursue vague, meritless claims.”

“They’re no longer thinking of it as a Berliner weiss they’re thinking of it as a Florida weiss,” he (Aubuchon) says.

Mark Delegal said, “This is critically important to create a level playing field in the defense of health care providers accused of malpractice." Mr. Delegal worked for 20 years on getting the law passed to allow hospitals and doctors who are defendants in medical malpractice suits equal access to medical fact witnesses.

"We believe that a rising tide lifts all boats and that our legislation would have a very positive impact for all tiers in the beer industry," Aubuchon said.