Mississippi House Bill HB902

Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/23
• Refer: 1/16/23
• Failed: 1/31/23

Caption

Alcoholic beverages; allow direct sales and shipments of wine to be made to residents in this state.

Impact

The bill also stipulates that individuals receiving direct shipments must be at least twenty-one years old and that these shipments are intended solely for personal consumption, prohibiting resale. Each direct wine shipper is limited in the annual quantity of wine that can be shipped to a single recipient, thus preventing bulk purchasing that could be intended for commercial distribution. The legislation aims to generate tax revenue from these sales while simultaneously ensuring that the drinking age is respected and enforced.

Summary

House Bill 902 aims to modernize the laws regarding the sale and shipment of wine directly to residents in Mississippi. This bill allows both manufacturers who hold a wine manufacturer's permit in Mississippi and those who are licensed or permitted outside the state to sell and ship wine directly to consumers. The process mandates the acquisition of a Direct Wine Shipper's Permit from the Department of Revenue, which establishes a regulatory framework for these transactions and helps ensure compliance with state laws regarding alcohol sales and shipment.

Contention

Notably, the bill includes a clause requiring direct shippers to maintain detailed records of their shipments, which must be made available for auditing by the Department of Revenue. This requirement has raised some concerns among wine manufacturers regarding privacy and the feasibility of compliance. Furthermore, opponents may argue that the regulations could impose additional operational burdens on smaller producers who may lack the resources to meet these requirements. The implementation of taxes on wine shipments could also lead to debates on the economic impacts of increased costs on consumers and the potential hindrance to market competition.