Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 7, 2017 12:52 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Mike Turzai |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Free the Wine |
| History was made last year with the first sales of wine in the private sector, finally moving Pennsylvania, at least in part, into the 21st century and out of the era of Prohibition. Act 39 brought forth wine privatization by authorizing the sale of wine in private retail markets and by providing for the availability of over 1,000 additional licenses. The overall experience with Act 39 has made it clear that the private sector can responsibly sell wine. Consumers have fully embraced these changes. While Act 39 was an important first step on the path to full privatization, there are still limitations on the sale of wine by private retailers which present impediments to both licensees and consumers. This legislation will bring forth a system in which private wine retailers will no longer be held hostage by the LCB’s monopoly on the supply, delivery and pricing of product. To address these impediments and in furtherance of our commitment to full privatization, we will be introducing legislation that will provide for a number of steps to “free the wine”. First, we need to divest the wholesale system of wine. Divestiture will “free the wine” by allowing retailers to negotiate pricing on products and by allowing them to have those products delivered directly to retail markets, thereby removing the LCB from wholesale transactions involving wine. Second, the bill will also provide for additional retail outlets to sell wine. Third, the bill will allow wine to be sold in grocery store aisles and to be purchased at the point of sale with other goods. Finally, the bill will increase the amount of wine which can be sold in a single transaction. The proposed legislation provides another pathway to usher in actual consumer convenience long sought after by the residents of this Commonwealth. We are hoping you will join us in continuing our effort to move Pennsylvania into the 21st century. |
Introduced as HB975