Req. No. 1901 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 STATE OF OKLAHOMA 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL 796 By: Coleman COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE An Act relating to alcoholic beverages; amending 37A O.S. 2021, Section 3-106, which relates to Direct Wine Shipper’s Permit; modifying requirements for certain reports; providing information to be reported; prohibiting shipment of wine to consumers without a permit; providing penalties; providing certain shippers have consented to certain state agency and court jurisdiction; prohibiting certain acts; providing penalties; requir ing notice to carriers of shipments that are unlawful; requiring inspection and auditing of records; updating statutory language; and providing an effective date . BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 37A O.S. 2021, Section 3 -106, is amended to read as follows: Section 3-106. A. A Direct Wine Shipper ’s Permit may be issued by the Oklahoma ABLE Commission to a winery licensed in this or any other state within the United States a s a wine producer. A Direct Wine Shipper’s Permit allows a winery to ship up to six nine -liter cases of wine annually directly to an Oklahoma resident who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older for such resident ’s personal Req. No. 1901 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 use and not for resale. No re sident shall be permitted to purchase more than thirty nine-liter cases of wine per year under the provisions of this section. B. The ABLE Commission shall prom ulgate rules governing the application, issuance and renewal of Direct Wine Shipper ’s Permits, which shall include but not be limited to: 1. Proof of current licensure in this or any other state as a wine producer; 2. Payment of a registration fee of Thr ee Hundred Dollars ($300.00) for original permits and One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00) for renewal permits; and 3. Any other document ation that the ABLE Commission believes is reasonably necessary to verify the identity and physical location of the winery. C. With regard to direct wine shipments permitted by this section, Direct Wine Shipper permit Shipper’s Permit holders: 1. Shall not ship more than six nine-liter cases of wine annually to any person for his or her personal use; 2. Shall not ship wine intended for resale; 3. Shall ensure that al l packages containing wine shipped directly to a resident in th is state are conspicuously labeled with the words “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON AGE 21 OR OLDER REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY ” or are conspicuously labeled with alternative wording preapproved by the ABLE Commission; Req. No. 1901 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4. Shall require the transporter or c ommon carrier that delivers the wine to ob tain the signature of a person twenty -one (21) years of age or older at the delivery address at the time of delivery. At the expense of the Direct Win e Shipper, the Direct Wine Shipper shall receive a delivery con firmation from the express company, common carrier or contract carrier indicating the location of delivery and the name and signature of the individual who accepted the delivery. The ABLE Comm ission shall design and create a label or approve a label that must be affixed to the shipping container by the licensee; 5. Shall report to the ABLE Commission annually, by a method prescribed by the ABLE Commission, the t otal amount of wine shipped into the state the preceding calendar year quarterly the following information: a. the name and address of the Oklahoma resident who placed the order, b. for each completed shipm ent, evidence of signature by an individual twenty -one (21) years of age or older, c. the name and license number of the com mon or permit carrier engaged in the shipment, d. for each shipment by a fulfillment center on behalf of the Direct Wine Shipper, the name and license numbe r of the fulfillment center engaged in the shipment, e. the date of the shipment, Req. No. 1901 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 f. the carrier tracking number, and g. the quantity of wine in the shipment ; 6. Shall annually pay to the Oklahoma Tax Commission all applicable taxes due on sales authorized by this section to Oklahoma residents in the preceding calendar year. The amount of such taxes shall be calculated a s if the sale were in Oklahoma this state at the location where delivery i s made. Upon request, permit holders shall permit the Tax Commission to perform an audit of t he permit holder’s records in order to assure compliance; 7. Shall be deemed to have consented to the jurisdiction of any agency or court of the State of Oklahom a this state tasked with the enforcement of or adjudi cation of controversies related to this section and any related laws or rules; and 8. Shall require the consumer to ve rify, by electronic means or otherwise, that the consumer is at least twenty -one (21) years of age. D. Shipments of wine to consumers in this state from persons who do not possess a current Direct Wine Shipper’s Permit pursuant to this section are prohibited. Any person in violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a civil penalt y and a fine not more than: 1. One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500 .00), for the first offense; Req. No. 1901 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 2. Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($ 2,500.00), for the second offense; and 3. Five Thousand Dollars ( $5,000.00), for the third and subsequent offenses. E. Every express company, common car rier, contract carrier and every firm or corporation that shall bring, carry or transport wine for delivery to any pers on in the state, except wine or spirit wholesalers or beer distributors, shall prepare and file quarterly with the ABLE Commission a repo rt, which shall not be subject to the Oklahoma Open Records Act, of all known wine, beer, and distilled spirits shipments containing: 1. The name of the company, carrier, person, firm or corporation making the report; 2. The period of time cover ed by the report; 3. The name, direct shipping permit number, and business address of the consignor shipping the wine; 4. The weight of the packages shipped; 5. The unique tracking number of the delivery; and 6. The date of delivery. E. F. A common carrier shall not deliver a shipment of wine pursuant to this section to any person in this state unless the carrier has verified the validity of the Direct Wine Shipper’s Permit prior to acce pting shipment. A carrier may consider a D irect Req. No. 1901 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Wine Shipper’s Permit to be valid for the remainder of the sta ted license period unless notified otherwise by the A BLE Commission. G. Every express company, c ommon carrier, contract carrier, and every firm or corporation that shall b ring, carry, or transport wine for delivery to any person in this state, except wine and spirits wholesalers or beer distributors, shall be deemed to have consented to the jurisdiction of any agency or court of this state tasked with the enforcement of or adjudication of controversies related to this section and any related laws or rules . H. No express company, common carrier, or contract carrier nor any representative, agent, or employee on behalf of a n express company, common carrier, or contract carrier sha ll: 1. Knowingly deliver any shi pping container that contains an alcoholic beverage into this state, unless it complies with the provisions of this section; or 2. Knowingly deliver any shipping container that is clearl y labeled as containing an alcoholic beverage including, but not limited to, the lawful ship ment of wine under this section, to any person in this state who is under twenty-one (21) years of age at the time of delivery. I. Any express company, common carrier, or contract carrier that carries or transports alcoholic beverages for delivery within this state that violates this section shall be fined not more than: Req. No. 1901 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 1. One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00), for the first offense; 2. Two Thousand Five Hundre d Dollars ($2,500.00), for the second offense; and 3. Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), for the third and subsequent offenses. An express company, common carrier, and contract carrier may be held vicariously liable for the action of its representatives, agents, and employees for actions in violation of this section. J. The Commission shall notify common carrier s of all shipments it has good cause to believe were made unlawfully into this state whether those made through a licensed shipper, fulfillment providers, or an unlicensed entity. The Commission may prohi bit a carrier from transporting alcohol on behalf of a cosigner identified as having made an unlawful shipment beginning fif teen (15) days from the date of the notice. A common carrier may request, and the Commission may provide, a hearing to show good cause f or the continued shipping by the cosigner. K. The Commission shall inspect and audit the records of both the Direct Wine Ship per’s Permit holder, as well as the common carrier and enforce accordingly. L. The provisions of this section do not apply to a motor carrier or freight forwarder as d efined in Section 13102 of Title 49 Req. No. 1901 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 of the United States Code or to an air carrier as defined in Section 40102 of Title 49 of the United States Code. SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023. 59-1-1901 MR 2/27/2023 4:50:49 PM