The upcoming Washington State elections on November 2, 2010 will determine a key element with respect to restrictions on alcoholic beverage sales. At the polls, constituents will be asked to vote on two state initiatives that could change the state’s alcohol regulatory system, a system that has scantly changed since…
Category: Contemporary Wine Law Issues
California Governor Signs New Wine Legislation
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed two wine-related measures that were authored by North Coast State Senator Patricia Wiggins: Senate Bill (SB) 806 and Senate Bill (SB) 1096. SB 806 goes into effect on January 1, 2011 and permits wine to be returned to the state of California when the wine is…
Michigan Stores Could Sell Liquor Before Noon on Sundays if Governor Passes New Law
A new Michigan law, if passed by Governor Jennifer Granholm, could allow Michigan stores to sell liquor before noon on Sundays. The legislation would provide a $160 fee for stores to begin selling liquor at 7 A.M. on Sundays. Currently, Michigan stores pay $90 to sell liquor starting at noon…
The Text of The POST Act of 2010 (Pertinent to the Wine Industry)
In a prior entry, On Reserve recognized that The Postal Operations Sustainment and Transformation (POST) Act of 2010, if passed, could allow for the shipping of wine or beer through the federal Postal Service system. (See New Postal Reform Bill Could Affect Shipping Wine.) The text of the bill most applicable…
Update on H.R. 5034
Jeff Carroll, V.P. of Compliance of ShipComplaint, posted a blog update today on the ShipComplaint blog with respect to H.R. 5034. The post, H.R. 5034 Update: Revision Reignites Debates, Important Hearing Set for Wednesday, recognizes and highlights the revisions to the original H.R. 5034 bill, reinstates the House Judiciary Committee hearing…
Live Hearing of H.R. 5034 This Wednesday
This Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 11:00 AM EST, a live hearing of H.R. 5034 will be conducted. The hearing can be watched via webcast at the Committee on the Judiciary. An additional resource that houses much information on the bill, as well as provides latest developments and FAQs, is…
New Postal Reform Bill Could Affect Shipping Wine
On September 23, 2010, Senator Thomas Carper introduced a new bill to the Senate. The new bill, titled the The Postal Operations Sustainment and Transformation (POST) Act of 2010, serves to reduce the number of home delivery days, close extraneous post offices, and open retail outlets or automated kiosks in…
The Wrath of Blue (Laws)
The topic of this article was prompted by the suggestion of Joy Alessandra Kull ’09, a colleague of mine from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration who is professionally involved with the wine industry. Historical Context of Early Alcoholic Beverage Regulation One of the most captivating aspects of wine…
The New Text of H.R. 5034 (CARE Act)
H.R. 5034, the Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness (“CARE”) Act, has recently undergone a change in its text. The new text of the bill reads as follows: “State or territorial regulations may not intentionally or facially discriminate against out-of-state or out-of-territory producers of alcoholic beverages in favor of in-state or in-territory…
Group Sues San Diego County on New Winery Policy
On September 3, 2010, the San Diego Citizenry Group, on behalf of various property owners throughout San Diego, brought suit against San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors challenging a new ordinance approved on August 4, 2010. The ordinance reportedly creates a more manageable process for wine growers to open wine-tasting…