OUT-OF-STATE RETAILERS SLAM ILLINOIS BILL
There’s a heated issue fermenting in Illinois over HB 429, which can be argued is good for wineries and wholesalers but bad for out-of-state retailers. The bill is as follows: in-state and out-of-state wineries can ship 12 cases a year directly to an individual and restaurant, while small wineries (producing less than 25,000 gallons a year) would be able to deliver up to 5,000 gallons of wine annually to retailers. In-state retailers would also retain the ability to ship directly to consumers, but out-of-state retailers would lose that privilege under the bill.
This is where Tom Wark, president of the Specialty Wine Retailers steps in. We had a chance to catch up with Tom earlier today, and as he told WSD, “For the most part the wineries have won the overall battle and now the wholesalers are going after retailers for no good reason.” The organization feels HB 429 is a good bill, other than the fact it excludes out-of-state retailers who have been able to ship to Illinois consumers since 1992.
On Monday, April 23 multiple organizations, including beer, wine and spirits wholesalers and The Wine Institute, issued a press release in favor of the bill. The announcement noted that the “agreement was reached when the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) dropped its objections after language was included in the compromise reaffirming that in-state retailers would be able to continue to operate as permitted under current Illinois law.” However, out-of-state retailers do not want to lose their ability to make direct shipments either.
“The odd thing is the alcohol wholesalers and the bill itself gives no reason at all for stripping consumers of a right they’ve held for 15 years,” said Tom in an earlier press release. “The really odd thing is that wholesalers wrote a bill that allows out-of-state wineries to ship to consumers. We applaud them for that.”
Since then, a representative in Illinois has offered an amendment for HB 429 that would allow Illinois consumers to continue purchasing wine from both in-state and out-of-state retailers.
The fate of HB 429 will be decided in the House Consumer Protection Committee before being sent to the full Assembly.
No word from the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois by press time.
This is where Tom Wark, president of the Specialty Wine Retailers steps in. We had a chance to catch up with Tom earlier today, and as he told WSD, “For the most part the wineries have won the overall battle and now the wholesalers are going after retailers for no good reason.” The organization feels HB 429 is a good bill, other than the fact it excludes out-of-state retailers who have been able to ship to Illinois consumers since 1992.
On Monday, April 23 multiple organizations, including beer, wine and spirits wholesalers and The Wine Institute, issued a press release in favor of the bill. The announcement noted that the “agreement was reached when the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) dropped its objections after language was included in the compromise reaffirming that in-state retailers would be able to continue to operate as permitted under current Illinois law.” However, out-of-state retailers do not want to lose their ability to make direct shipments either.
“The odd thing is the alcohol wholesalers and the bill itself gives no reason at all for stripping consumers of a right they’ve held for 15 years,” said Tom in an earlier press release. “The really odd thing is that wholesalers wrote a bill that allows out-of-state wineries to ship to consumers. We applaud them for that.”
Since then, a representative in Illinois has offered an amendment for HB 429 that would allow Illinois consumers to continue purchasing wine from both in-state and out-of-state retailers.
The fate of HB 429 will be decided in the House Consumer Protection Committee before being sent to the full Assembly.
No word from the Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois by press time.
posted at 1:40 PM
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