Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer Inducted into "Order of the Writ"
Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer was recently inducted into the prestigious Order of the Writ – Spirit of Kentucky Bourbon society’s inaugural class of members.
The Order of the Writ is a fraternal and charitable organization that embraces the spirit of Kentucky Bourbon education, responsibility, environmental stewardship, history, scholarship and an unwavering commitment to the furtherance of America’s only native spirit.
Membership is offered to others only by unanimous invitation of The Fifteen, the Order of the Writ’s founding members, signifying Kentucky’s founding as the 15th state of the Union.
To be eligible for membership, a nominee must have had a service or association with the Kentucky Bourbon industry and have made a positive contribution to the management, production, sales, marketing, distribution, promotion or development of Kentucky Bourbon for a minimum of five years.
Senator Thayer has been an ardent supporter of the bourbon industry during his time in the state legislature. While he has voted for numerous pieces of legislation that support Kentucky Bourbon, some of the most crucial have come in recent years, including:
- House Bill 445 (2014), known as the Bourbon Barrel Tax Reinvestment Credit, which provided relief to ad valorem taxes levied on aging bourbon barrels.
- Senate Bill 11 (2016), which allowed distilleries to serve cocktails and resulted in many distilleries installing restaurants and cocktail experiences.
- House Bill 100 (2017), known as the Vintage Spirit Law, which allowed proprietors and some distilleries to purchase rare bottles from consumers.
- House Bill 400 (2018), which allowed Bourbon Trail distilleries and visitors to ship bottles back home provided their state has reciprocal laws with Kentucky.
“I’m honored to join this distinguished group of supporters of the Kentucky Bourbon Industry,” Sen. Thayer said. “As an advocate of the free market, I will continue to back legislation that removes the artificial barriers that hinder the industry’s ability to grow and further develop. With fewer impediments, we have a greater ability to expose the rest of the world to this wonderful product, encourage out-of-state guests to visit our bourbon distilleries and continue to expand our thriving economy in the Commonwealth.”