IL's Anti-Consumer Wine Laws

• 15 YEARS OF CONSUMERS ACCESS TO WINE: Between 1992 and 2008, Illinois wine consumers had the blessing of its state legislature and of law to purchase and have wine shipped to them from out-of-state retailers and out-of-state wineries. The only caveat is that the state from which you were receiving your wine had to give Illinois retailers and wineries the privilege to ship wine into their state.

• ACCESS TO WINE LOCATED IN NUMEROUS STATES: In 2004, Illinois wine consumers could have wine shipped to them from wineries or retailers in 20 states, including CA, OR and WA.

• ILLINOIS CONSUMERS STRIPPED OF ACCESS TO WINE:I In 2007, as a result of House Bill 429, Illinoisans lost all right to purchase wine from out-of-state retailers, wine clubs, Internet wine stores and auction houses. This left Illinoisans without legal access to tens of thousands of wines they had access to before the law passed.

HUGE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE ENEMIES OF CONSUMER ACCESS TO WINE: Prior to passing HB 429, the bill that stripped consumers of their 15 year-long right to buy wine from out-of-state retailers, wine clubs, Internet retailers and auction houses, Illinois alcohol distributors gave $50 million dollars to state politicians. Illinois alcohol distributors were the primary advocates of stripping consumers of their right to buy from out-of-state retail sources. Their interests were protected since now Illinois wine consumers only have access to wines from retail sources that Illinois alcohol distributors supply.

• WHY ALLOW CONSUMERS TO BUY FROM OUT-OF-STATE WINERIES BUT NOT STORES: Illinois politicians generally and Illinois laws in particular are not opposed to the direct shipment of wine to consumers. They allow it from in-state wineries, out-of-state wineries, and in state retailers—but not out-of-state wine stores.

• SHIPPING WINE TO CONSUMERS IS SAFE: Prior to stripping consumers of their 15 year-long right to have wine shipped to them from out-of-state wine merchants there was no instance of abuse of the shipping privilege by out-of-state retailers, no complaints about underage access due to retailer shipping made to law enforcement, and no concern expressed on the part of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission that shipment by out-of-state retailers to Illinois wine consumers caused problems.

• HOW WINE ACCESS IS NOW LIMITED DUE TO HB 429: Today, as a result of House Bill 429, Illinois wine consumers only have access to those wines that the states distributors believe they can make money selling to wine stores in the state and that these stores still have in stock or to wines that might be available from out-of-state wineries (often the wines consumers want to buy from out-of-state wineries are sold out at the winery or the winery will not ship into Illinois)

• NUMEROUS SOURCES OF FINE WINE OUT OF REACH NOW: Prior to having their long held right to buy from out-of-state retailers stripped from them for no practical reason, wine consumers could easily search the inventories of numerous online wine stores to find access to tens of thousands of wines they no longer are legally able to obtain.

THE RESULT OF ILLINOIS HOUSE BILL 429 IS:

1. Consumers have been stripped of access to a critical sales channel.
2. Illinois consumers have far less access to wine.
3. Illinois is now in violation of the U.S. Constitution that prohibits discrimination against out-of-state commerce in favor of in-state commerce.
4. Illinois citizens are losing millions of dollars in tax revenue that could be used for schools, healthcare and the budget if only sales by out-of-state retailers to Illinois consumers were allowed.
5. Illinois retailers find themselves locked out of markets due to the HB 429.