Maryland Considers Direct Shipping Law-HELP NOW!

Hi Tom

Thanks for the reminder. We're doing our part with great reminders from HabuWorldTour, GentlemanFarmer, and others:

WS Thread 1

WS Thread 2

And I've posted it on my blog:

a food and wine blog - baltimore, md

And I've seen it on other local blogs:

Vinotrip

Just wondering how you feel about this round of the Bill and whether or not it has a chance?

This will be a very difficult bill to pass, but well worth trying. Maryland has a history of very anti-consumer politics when it comes to direct shipping, a position that has been pushed largely by wholesalers that are very powerful in the state.

However, rarely have the Maryland representatives really been inundated by the consumer's voice on this issue.

Tom Wark
Specialty Wine Retailers Association

quote:

Originally posted by Tom From Glen Ellen, CA:
This will be a very difficult bill to pass, but well worth trying. Maryland has a history of very anti-consumer politics when it comes to direct shipping, a position that has been pushed largely by wholesalers that are very powerful in the state.

However, rarely have the Maryland representatives really been inundated by the consumer's voice on this issue.

Tom Wark
Specialty Wine Retailers Association

Is there going to be a lawsuit against the Illinois Government any time soon?

we are much better off if people will email original thoughts. when the legislators get canned emails, they recognize that very little effort goes into them, and they do not give them much weight.
Everyone here seems to be able to write.
Just tell them in your honest words why you think it is a good idea.
You'd like to be able to sample these wines.
It wouldn't hurt the Maryland retailers very much at all.
It's a Freedom of the market thing.
It will help Maryland wineries that want to export.
Wine is good for you.
Etc.

Totally agree with irwin.

HB 1260 will be heard this Monday, February 18 in the House Economic Matters Committee. If you are a Marylander who loves wine, and wants to be able to make your own decisions about what you purchase and how you purchase it, these people need to hear from you NOW!!

MARYLAND HOUSE ECONOMIC MATTERS COMMITTEE

Chair: Davis, Dereck E. (D), District 25
e-mail: dereck.davis@house.state.md.us

Vice-Chair: Rudolph, David D. (D), District 35B
e-mail: david.rudolph@house.state.md.us

Delegates:
Braveboy, Aisha N.
email: aisha.braveboy@house.state.md.us

Burns, Emmett C., Jr. (D), District 10
e-mail: emmett.burns@house.state.md.us

Feldman, Brian J. (D), District 15
e-mail: brian.feldman@house.state.md.us

Haddaway, Jeannie (R), District 37B
e-mail: jeannie.haddaway@house.state.md.us

Harrison, Hattie N. (D), District 45
e-mail: hattie.harrison@house.state.md.us

Hecht, C. Sue (D), District 3A
e-mail: sue.hecht@house.state.md.us

Impallario, Richard K. (R), District 7
e-mail: rick.impallario@house.state.md.us

Jameson, Sally Y. (D), District 28
e-mail: sally.jameson@house.state.md.us

King, James J. (R), District 33A
e-mail: james.king@house.state.md.us

Kirk, Ruth M. (D), District 44
e-mail: ruth.kirk@house.state.md.us

Krysiak, Carolyn J. (D), District 46
e-mail: carolyn.krysiak@house.state.md.us

Love, Mary Ann (D), District 32
e-mail: maryann.love@house.state.md.us

Manno, Roger (D), District 19
e-mail: roger.manno@house.state.md.us

Mathias, James N., Jr. (D), District 38B
e-mail: james.mathias@house.state.md.us

McHale, Brian K. (D), District 47A
e-mail: brian.mchale@house.state.md.us

Miller, Warren E. (R), District 9A
e-mail: warren.miller@house.state.md.us

Minnick, Joseph J. (D), District 7
e-mail: joseph.minnick@house.state.md.us

Stifler, Donna (R), District 35A
e-mail: donna.stifler@house.state.md.us

Taylor, Herman L., Jr. (D), District 14
e-mail: herman.taylor@house.state.md.us

Vaughn, Michael L. (D), District 24
e-mail: michael.vaughn@house.state.md.us

Walkup, Mary Roe (R), District 36
e-mail: mary.roe.walkup@house.state.md.us

PH

For those who aren't inclined to cut and paste e-mail addresses or who would like a "shortcut" tool to contact these legislators, Free the Grapes has put together THIS.

Do take the time to write your own text in the body of the message, per irwin's previous point.

PH

*bump*

Hearing on Direct Shipping Bill (HB 1260) Scheduled for Monday, Feb. 18, 1pm.......

Details can be found here.

The 18th is President's day, so for those of you lucky enough to be off, seriously consider attending the hearing. Apparently this committee is hostile to the intent of this legislation and the sponsors and supporters of this bill will need all the help they can get!

PH

I suspect that one of the legislators who is on the other side is Sonny Minnick, who is on this committee.
Here is his bio: http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12271.html

Anyone planning on attending? I may try to make it down there so if anyone else will be going and wants to get lunch before/afterwards let me know.

Link of interest:

http://wbal.com/stories/templates/news.aspx?articleid=2136&zoneid=2

There's an update on the hearing posted on the Squires board:

http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showthread.php?t=160259

Basically this guys take was:
* The hearing was a draw.
* Proponents for the bill had a better arguement, but poorly executed.
* Opponents presented a weaker argument, but well executed.
* The Comptroller of Maryland is for the bill.


I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens...

Article from today's Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...AR2008021802131.html

Editorial from the Baltimore Sun (the state's largest newspaper) dated 2/20/08:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-...eb20,0,1945680.story

Next, the bill will be heard in the Alcoholic Beverages Subcommittee in the next few weeks. This is going to be an uphill battle all the way, so keep those cards and letters coming!

PH

UPDATE: relevant post: http://foodandwineblog.com/?p=343 relevant discussion: http://foodandwineblog.com/forums/index.php?topic=32.0

"Looks like the MD Senate Economic, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee is going to hear the direct wine shipping issue on Friday, 3/7 at 1pm. All those Marylanders who are suffering through the same shipping woes should plan on attending and testifying." - comment by "oscar"

EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Senator Joan Carter Conway, Chair
Senator Roy P. Dyson, Vice Chair

2 West Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401-1991
(410-841-3661 Annapolis/Baltimore Area; 301-858-3661 Washington, D.C. Area)

Anyone wishing to testify on any bill must sign the witness register by 12:40 p.m. If you have written testimony, please submit 20 copies to the committee staff by 12:00 Noon for distribution prior to the hearing; after 12:00 Noon, please submit at the time you testify. The order that bills are listed on the schedule is not necessarily the order in which they will be heard.

FRIDAY MARCH 7, 2008
1:00 P.M.

SB 616 Sen Raskin, et Alcoholic Beverages - Direct Wine Shipper’s
al License

Tomorrow is the big day!

Anyone who is planning on attending and wants to have lunch before or a glass of wine afterwards, let me know and I'll get you my cell number.

I'm booked for the day, sarbuze. Give us an update if you have a minute.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
I'm booked for the day, sarbuze. Give us an update if you have a minute.

PH

Sorry to hear you're booked: I'm going to take my laptop and I'll find a wireless connection before I head home

Thanks! sarbuze, cub reporter!!

PH

Just got done, here's my short recap:

http://foodandwineblog.com/?p=350

No vote today, strong arguments on both sides...more to come!

Well, here you go:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.wine08mar08,0,3993041.story

The convicted felon lobbyist, Bruce Bereano, argued successfully on behalf of his sponsors. What a system! The guy is convicted of a crime associated with politics, and is permitted to continue to lobby, and his clients pay him handsomely for his efforts.
The weenies in the Md. Legislature listen to him.
http://www.bayweekly.com/year05/issuexiii5/leadxiii5.html

Irwin,

Perhaps your WS was banned from shipping into Maryland also.

Irwin,

You give Bereano too much credit. This bill was not going to pass regardless of his input. He was just picking up free money from the wholesalers. Considering Bereano's ethical history, I wouldn't be surprised if he put in the bill for a nice payday.

Well, it looks like the shipping bill goes down to defeat this year. It will return next year.
On the other hand, the bill to ban foie gras looks like it will also go down to defeat.

But, the legislature has spent some time on the Smith Island cake bill:

"The Senate voted 44-1 Monday to give the Smith Island cake official state recognition. The cake can have more than a dozen thin layers and is a hallmark confection of Smith Island."

At least they are working hard in Annapolis. I heard that the one vote against the Smith Island cake bill was a protest vote in favor of Gentleman Farmer's cheesecake.

I forgot to give the update on the bills. oh well, the way I see it is they can't hold off forever. E-commerce is the way things work nowadays, eventually this bill will pass.

One of the other interesting bills we heard:

Define Beer!

Link tells the whole story, basically the bill would protect Flavored Malt Beverages (Bacardi Breezers, Alcopops, etc) as "Beer" to keep them taxed at beer's $0.09 per gallon rather than "spirits" $1.50 per gallon.

Not sure where it stands now, but it was a good debate!

Here we go again.
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/21521866/detail.html

And, here we go again.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/ne...1125,0,2820446.story