SB 2145 Mississippi Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Alcoholic beverages; authorize the direct shipment of wine.

SB 2145 allows wine manufacturers (with a valid permit) in Mississippi or other states to ship wine directly to Mississippi residents and wine fulfillment providers. It requires shippers to obtain a permit, report sales quarterly, limit shipments to 12 nine-liter cases per address annually, and ensure recipients are 21+ for delivery. The bill prohibits direct shipments of beer, non-wine alcohol, or distributor-contracted wines (except "highly allocated" items), and bans resale of directly shipped wine. It also creates a new tax on direct wine sales, with 12% of the tax funding Mississippi’s mental health programs. This law applies only to wine, not other alcoholic beverages, and modifies existing liquor code sections.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Signed into Law

Feb 2025

Introduced Feb 18, 2025 Signed Feb 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

As Introduced → Committee Substitute · 10 edits

MAJOR

This bill introduces a new program allowing licensed wine manufacturers and out-of-state wine sellers to ship wine directly to Mississippi residents, provided they obtain a Direct Wine Shipper's Permit. The bill establishes permit requirements, limits on annual shipments (24 nine-liter cases per address), age restrictions (21+), and creates new tax provisions including a 15.5% excise tax on direct wine shipments. Funds from certain taxes will be deposited into the Mental Health Programs Fund.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands Mississippi's alcohol distribution system by creating a new direct-to-consumer wine shipping program that operates alongside the existing three-tier system, while maintaining restrictions on shipping to dry counties.

SCOPE

New Direct Wine Shipper's Permit program allowing authorized wine manufacturers and out-of-state sellers to ship wine directly to Mississippi residents without using the state's liquor distribution warehouse.

REQUIREMENT

Direct wine shippers must obtain a permit from the Department of Revenue, maintain records for three years, and ship wine only for personal consumption by recipients who are at least 21 years old.

Direct wine shippers cannot ship more than 24 nine-liter cases of wine annually to any single address and cannot ship to addresses in counties that have not voted to allow alcohol sales.

Direct wine shippers must conspicuously label all containers with a warning that a signature from a person age 21 or older is required for delivery.

New permit types added including Event Venue Retailer's Permit, Delivery Service Permit, Food Truck Permit, and On-Premises Tobacco Permit.

FISCAL

New 15.5% excise tax on direct wine shipments, with proceeds deposited into the General Fund and Mental Health Programs Fund.

Revised tax schedule for various alcohol permits with specific dollar amounts for different permit types including the new Direct Wine Shipper's Permit at $100.

DEFINITION

Added definition of 'Direct Wine Shipper' as a permit holder authorized to sell and ship wine directly to Mississippi residents.

ENFORCEMENT

Violations of the direct wine shipping provisions are now classified as misdemeanors punishable by fines up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to six months.

TIMELINE

The act takes effect July 1, 2025, and is scheduled to be repealed June 30, 2025, though the text appears to contain a repeal date that may be an error.

Committee Substitute → As Passed the upper · 12 edits

MAJOR

This bill expands Mississippi's wine direct shipping program to include wine fulfillment providers and clarifies eligibility for out-of-state wine manufacturers. It increases reporting requirements from annual to quarterly, raises the annual shipping limit from 24 to 12 cases per customer, and adds restrictions on selling through distributors, brokers, and solicitors. The bill also introduces a new wine fulfillment provider permit and modifies various existing permit types and tax provisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include wine fulfillment providers as a new category of permit holder and clarified that direct wine shippers can now sell to both consumers and fulfillment providers within the state.

DEFINITION

Added new definition for 'wine fulfillment provider' as a third-party entity that ships wine on behalf of direct wine shippers.

Added new definition for 'common carrier' to include entities transporting wine from direct wine shippers to consumers or fulfillment providers.

ELIGIBILITY

Narrowed eligibility for direct wine shipper permits to only include wine manufacturers who hold permits under Section 67-1-51, removing out-of-state distributors, wholesalers, and retailers from qualifying.

REQUIREMENT

Changed reporting requirements from annual to quarterly submissions to the Department of Revenue.

Reduced the annual wine shipping limit from 24 to 12 nine-liter cases per customer address.

Prohibited direct wine shippers from selling wine contracted through Mississippi distributors, brokers, and solicitors, except for highly allocated items.

Added requirement for direct wine shippers to report certain information quarterly in addition to existing record-keeping requirements.

Modified permit eligibility for temporary permits to remove the requirement for out-of-state wine manufacturers to qualify for direct wine shipper permits.

Removed the prohibition on direct wine shippers selling to addresses in counties that have not voted to come out from under dry laws.

ENFORCEMENT

Added consumer protection provision exempting consumers from penalties when they reasonably believe a direct wine shipment complies with state requirements.

FISCAL

Added new wine fulfillment provider's permit fee of $100 to the existing permit fee schedule.

TECHNICAL

Removed language requiring direct wine shippers to obtain permits from out-of-state wine manufacturers, suppliers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, or retailers.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 14, 2025 · House Feb 18, 2025

How they voted

24–14

Passed · 11 other

Total votes 49

Feb 14, 2025

D Democratic16

5 Yea 4 Nay 7

31% Yea

R Republican33

19 Yea 10 Nay 4

57% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 26, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor

executive

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Committee

Referred To State Affairs

lower

Feb 18, 2025

Introduced

Transmitted To House

upper

Feb 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Title Suff Do Pass Comm Sub

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Committee

Referred To Finance

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors