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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2008 > April > 09 > Entry
Ohio’s wine-shipping laws: will legislators fix — or ‘fix’?
A VERY interesting story out of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer headlined Wine shipping fix changes little for Ohioans.
So … legislators who admitted they muffed the punt the first time are trying to fix the state’s confusing, restrictive wine-shipping laws that they messed with before in what was, for all practical purposes, secret legislation. But a sponsor of the newest proposed “fix” says he has encountered opposition to relaxing the shipping restrictions from Ohio’s Wholesale Beer and Wine Association (no surprise) and from the Ohio Department of Commerce (huh??) — all behind closed doors, of course. Spokesmen for those groups say, essentially, “Who, us?”
And the questions remain: Will these most recent proposals — which are being kicked around in private among lobbyists and legislators — receive full and complete public scrutiny before being tacked onto an existing bill and rushed into law?
And most important: Who represents the consumer in these deliberations? Who is sitting at the negotiating table representing the consumers??
Just wondering …
Mark Fisher
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Comments
By Stacy
May 19, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
Question/Comment- I’m a new Ohio transpant-Regarding the shipping laws- My husband & I own a “in Home Wine Tasting Company” resently when inquiring about being apart of one of the Cleveland Wine Festival I was told that The Chief Legal Council for Ohio liquior control said that a “Bill” was on the table to make my business illegal- I do wines tasting of our product in peoples homes & sell from a catalog/ or web site. Wine is shipped to host not my home- IS this a problem in Ohio???- Per our company they say legal- Would love feedback-
By Ron
April 10, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this
This is legislation by earmarks and though it may be efficient, it damn sure isn’t democratic. I agree with Ed that you need big money to play proactively in these leagues. Troublesome also, is how a relatively straightforward, if rigid, liquor code in Ohio is being loaded up with earmarked provisions for special interests. The latest examples benefit zoo’s and “revitalization districts.” If earmarks were illegal, we all would have had a shot to review and weigh in on the original wine legislation and wouldn’t be trying to fix it up after the fact.
By chiefwino
April 10, 2008 8:11 AM | Link to this
While the changes last year in the shipping law has affected some (primarily CA) wineries, at least some of the larger wine retailers (also in CA) are continuing to ship. Their position seems to be the law only restricts wineries not retailers. It appears that they are willing to ship to OH as long as the shipping companies (FEDEX, UPS) are willing to take the box. So there is still a distributor and retailer in the path; just not ones from Ohio.
By Ed W
April 9, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
I don’t know what’s worse. That state legislators can be bought, or that they can be bought so cheaply. It’s really more than just a wine issue. It’s scary to think this is how they get business done.
By Ed
April 9, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
The consumer is at seat number four of the three-tier, three seat, distribution table. If there is a private consumer or group that wants to put up $250 K, step up. I am sure we can get the ear of an elected official. p.s. The State Commerce Dept. a.k.a Liquor Control Board, must not want the extra tax revenue Direct Shipping would provide. Free trade, my corkscrew.