After more than a decade of advocacy, both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature have approved Senate Bill 2145, a measure that allows residents to order specialty or rare wines not available in state-run package stores. The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, will enable citizens to bypass restrictions on direct wine shipments, making Mississippi one of the last states to allow such transactions.
Mississippi currently stands as one of the few states that prohibit direct wine shipments. During debate on the bill, House State Affairs Chairman Hank Zuber, R-Ocean Springs, pointed out that many Mississippians already circumvent state laws by ordering wine from other states or countries and having it shipped to a friend’s address outside the state, only to retrieve it later. Zuber emphasized that, while this practice is widespread, the state is missing out on potential tax revenue.
“Make no mistake, this is happening now, and we are not collecting the tax revenue,” Zuber told House members on Tuesday.
The House voted in favor of the bill by a 79-29 margin, while the Senate passed it 24-14 the previous week.
If signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves, the bill would impose a 15.5% tax on direct wine shipments and set a limit of 12 cases per year per individual. To legally receive shipments, buyers would be required to obtain a direct wine manufacturer’s permit through the Mississippi Department of Revenue.
Supporters of the bill see it as a step forward in modernizing the state’s wine laws, while critics caution about the potential for increased alcohol consumption.
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