Committee advances bill to add craft spirits to state distillery law, allow tasting rooms and festival sales

Senate Bill 2869, which would add craft spirits to Mississippi27s native-distillery provisions and expand permitted retail and distribution activities for craft distillers, was reported out of committee after discussion.

Senator Robinson presented the bill and said it “creates and defines and adds craft spirits into our native distillery language,” and would permit native or craft distilleries to distribute to licensed retail permittees, maintain tasting rooms at another state location where sales are legal, obtain festival permits similar to wine festival permits and sell other alcoholic beverages in their retail establishments.

Senator England asked whether the bill allows Mississippi native beverages to be shipped directly to out-of-state customers. Robinson said she believed that was covered in the bill; by her account it was unclear on the record and another senator replied, “I don't know. I don't think so. Okay.” The transcript does not record definitive committee clarification on direct-to-consumer interstate shipping.

Robinson noted that a meadery in Tupelo has been operating successfully and that the bill is intended to encompass beverages such as mead. The committee moved the bill by voice vote and the clerk announced it would be reported out.

The transcript does not include the bill text, any stated changes to tax or licensing fees, or a roll-call tally. Committee members did not record amendments on the floor during the discussion in the transcript.