Every state has its own quirky alcohol laws. Years ago, I lived in Indiana and was chagrined to discover that it was illegal to serve alcohol on election day while the polls were open. This I considered to be manifestly…

In Texas, as in much of the nation, alcohol is regulated under the so-called “three-tier system,” which requires alcohol manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to be separate and independent from each other. Texas, however, takes this requirement to the extreme. Not…

What’s the difference between a beer can and a mayonnaise jar? It sounds like the opening to a bad joke, but it’s also the basis for a legal and regulatory battle being waged between the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)…

It’s been a busy summer for booze-related litigation in Texas. I’ve written previously about the successful challenge by craft brewers to a 2013 law that makes them give away their distribution rights, and about a challenge to an overbroad interpretation…

Overall, conservatives in Texas had a very good election night last week. Republicans took all the statewide offices, as indeed they have in every election since 1994, and claimed virtual supermajorities in both the state house and senate. Even a…

Voter ID is not a big deal. Or, rather, it is a big deal, but it probably shouldn’t be. Let me back up a bit. Over the past decade, there has been a growing movement in a number of states to…