Mississippi House approves bill allowing direct shipment of wine, 79-29

The Mississippi House of Representatives on the floor approved Senate Bill 2145, which allows direct shipment of wine to Mississippi residences, by a vote of 79 yeas to 29 nays. The bill was called up as House General Calendar item No. 1 and advanced to final passage during the same floor session.

Supporters said the bill would bring wine purchases made out of state back into Mississippi’s tax system and expand consumer access. "Make no mistake, the House has provided the leadership and the courage whenever it comes to freedom of choice concerning alcohol," said the Representative (Jackson), chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, explaining the measure and urging passage. He said many Mississippians now order wine from out of state or abroad and avoid paying state taxes and that the bill is designed to capture that revenue.

The bill, as taken up on the House floor, includes several provisions that differ from an earlier House proposal. Under the Senate measure discussed in the chamber, the tax on direct-shipped wine is 15.5 percent (the House bill had proposed an 18 percent tax), and the shipment limit is 12 cases per household per year (the House bill proposed 9 cases per household). The bill also requires quarterly reporting to the Mississippi Department of Revenue and retains allocation language originally included in the House draft. The chairman said direct shipment under the bill is limited to wine not carried by ABC (the state Alcoholic Beverage Control agency), meaning only products not available through local warehouse or retail channels in Mississippi would qualify for direct shipment.

Representative Jennifer Adams offered a strike-all amendment to substitute House Bill 1175 for the Senate bill, saying the House bill was "a very well thought out, thorough bill" that addressed definitional and small-business concerns she said the Senate version did not. Adams raised questions about definitions — for example, whether the term "residence" in the Senate bill could be read to allow shipments to churches or schools — and argued the House approach better protected local retailers. "Every year, I'm gonna vote for direct shipping of wine this year, but I want you to know every year I vote against this bill because I care about small businesses in Mississippi," Adams said.

The house debated the amendment, then recorded a roll-call vote after a demand for one. The amendment failed, 35 yeas to 77 nays. The House then proceeded to final passage of Senate Bill 2145; the final vote to pass the bill was 79 yeas, 29 nays. After passage, Representative Powell of Rankin moved to hold the bill and moved to reconsider the vote; the clerk was notified of that motion on the floor.

During debate, the chairman cautioned members that amending the Senate bill in the House could imperil the measure in the Senate. He warned that if the House "change[s] this bill in any form, fashion, or manner, it's dead" in the Senate, urging members to keep the measure "clean" to preserve its chances in the other chamber. Other members, including Representative Bailey of Washington, urged colleagues to vote against passage.

The House’s action sends the Senate-originated bill back to the Senate as passed by the House unless the motion to reconsider is sustained and the House rescinds its vote. The transcript does not record dates for when the Senate or House originally introduced their respective bills or any subsequent Senate action beyond the statements on the floor.