Bill would halt wine shipments
Michigan wine drinkers could soon be prevented from making purchases shipped from both in-state and out-of-state stores and online sites.
State lawmakers last week sent legislation to Gov. Jennifer Granholm that would effectively ban retail shipments of wine to consumers. The measure, approved 36-2 in the Senate, also received overwhelming support in the House.
An exemption was made for retailers who hand-deliver their orders.
Previously, in-state retailers were allowed to ship wine to Michigan residents, but out-of-state retailers could not. A federal judge in September struck down the law and deemed it discriminatory to out-of-state interests.
Jackson-area legislators in both the House and Senate supported the bill.
"I heard very little argument against it in the district," said state Rep. Mike Simpson, D-Blackman Township, who supported the bill. "Everybody understands that if it was totally unregulated and unchecked, you'd have everybody and his brother ... shipping into Michigan to avoid taxes."
Also supporting the bill were state Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, and state Sens. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, and Randy Richardville, R-Monroe.
Ken Wozniak, director of executive services for the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, said many consumers purchase alcohol from other states, where retail prices can be up to 40 percent lower than in Michigan.
"There are a number of businesses in states that now cater events. If there were a complete ban on delivering, those businesses would not be able to do what they do now," he said.
Jack Travioli, owner of Cork N Cap, 904 Lansing Ave. in Jackson, agreed some wines may be cheaper out of state, but said the cost would likely balance out with added shipping costs.
Cork N Cap does include wine with holiday gift baskets, he said, but the store does not do any shipping.
Travioli said customers who purchase online are often doing so to find a particular beverage not supplied in area stores.
Dennise Barber, co-owner of Lone Oak Vineyard Estates, 8400 Ann Arbor Road near Grass Lake, said she is not concerned about the measure because it focuses only on retail stores.
Even if it did affect wineries, Lone Oak does not rely largely on in-state shipping, Barber said.
She said the vineyard does not ship out of state because a special permit is needed to do so.