(Photo from Hank Zuber on Facebook)
- Mississippi is one of only three states that prohibits the direct shipment of wines to its residents. That could change with Governor Tate Reeves’ signature.
The Mississippi House agreed with the Senate on Tuesday, passing a bill to allow the direct shipment of wines to Mississippi residents. The legislation will head to the Governor to be signed into law once a motion to reconsider is disposed of later this week.
It took two attempts, some overnight wrangling, a couple changed votes, and a few absences for SB 2145 to pass the Senate late last week. Yet, when the dust settled on Friday, the motion to reconsider the previous failed vote reached the required three-fifths threshold to send the measure to the House for consideration.
READ MORE: On second thought, Senate reaches threshold to pass direct wine shipping to Mississippi residents
Tuesday morning, the House State Affairs Committee took the Senate bill up and sent it on to the floor for consideration. During the afternoon session, the measure received the backing of the House by a vote of 79 to 29, clearing the required three-fifths threshold necessary for passage.
Mississippi is one of only three states that prohibits the direct shipment of wines to its residents, as noted during legislative debates.
According to Magnolia Tribune’s previous reporting, the bill allows for up to 12 cases of wine per address to be shipped directly to residents in Mississippi per year. The tax collected on each sale and shipment would be 15.5 percent, with 3 percent going toward mental health services. A direct wine shipper permit would be required and someone 21 years or older must show identification when signing for the order.
House State Affairs Committee chairman Hank Zuber (R) said Tuesday when presenting the legislation that the state is currently missing out on state tax revenue by residents having their wine shipped to neighboring states like Alabama.
“Make no mistake again, this is happening now, and we are not collecting the tax revenue,” Zuber said on the floor.
Zuber implored his colleagues to pass the legislation despite it being a Senate bill, saying it was the House that has led on this issue for over five years.
A similar bill – HB 1175 – passed the House earlier this session by a vote of 93 to 14, easily clearing the three-fifths threshold as well. It would have only allowed 9 case per year and imposed an 18 percent tax.
House Minority Leader Robert Johnson (D) attempted to insert the House language into the Senate bill through an amendment, calling it “baby steps.” His amendment failed by a vote of 35 to 77 after Zuber said it would be “DOA” in the Senate.
The House measure was referred to the Senate Finance Committee, where it is expected to die given Tuesday’s action on SB 2145.
Frank Corder
