SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 1
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 27, 2023
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 796 By: Coleman
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 as 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
use and not for resale. No resident shall be permitted to purchase
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 2
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
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 Hundre d 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;
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 3
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 common 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,
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 4
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 ass ure 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 verify, 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;
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 5
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 o r 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
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 6
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 ABLE 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:
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 7
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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 fifteen (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 Shipper’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
SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB796 SFLR Page 8
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 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.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND COMMERCE
February 27, 2023 - DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS