MD breweries say bill harms the industry and tourism

In 2014 Maryland breweries had an economic impact of $652 million.

And now the state's breweries are urging lawmakers to vote against a bill they say will severely harm the industry.

A rally took place tonight at Key Brewing Company in Baltimore County.

Those in attendance want to prevent House Bill 1283 from being approved in the Senate tomorrow.

It has already been approved in the House.

The bill creates a new limit on how much Maryland class 5 breweries will be able to produce annually for on-site consumption.

Other restrictions include mandatory closing hours at 9 p.m. and stopping collaborations between breweries.

A class 5 brewery functions primarily as a manufacturing house and this bill wants class 5 breweries to exist as just that.

47 ABC spoke to Jason Hearn, the owner of Tall Tales Brewery in Parsonsburg, Maryland.

Hearn says this bill would harm more than just breweries.

"There's a lot of people that are going to be affected, a lot of jobs that are going to be affected because of this,” Hearn said.

"Right now it looks like 3 to 4 of the breweries in the state, it's going to do serious damage to their business.”

earn is going to Annapolis tomorrow to voice his concerns to lawmakers.