SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Imagine craft beer delivered right to your doorstep. Brewers and a few Illinois lawmakers are working to make that a reality.

The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild believes that modernizing liquor laws could save breweries that are having trouble staying open. Two bills were introduced in the Illinois General Assembly.

One bill legalizes direct to consumer beer shipping, while the other would clarify rules are reward programs and donating beer to non-profit organizations.

Ray Stout, executive director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, said that craft breweries are cornerstone businesses in communities across the state, and roughly 40 of those businesses were lost during the pandemic.

Supporters believe that these bills could help the industry recover and continue to grow if passed.

“What craft beer shipping would enable is for these breweries to reach consumers where they are,” Stout said. “And, you know, over the course of the pandemic, and even today, people are at their house, and folks are more comfortable ordering everything under the sun to be delivered to their door. From groceries to toilet paper to wine.”

Illinois winemakers have been able to get shipping licenses since 2007. Stout said that breweries are just asking for equity.

As for hard liquor, Stout believes that the Illinois Distillers Association is also looking to introduce similar legislation.