HB 4444

Abstract

Amends the Liquor Control Act of 1934. Permits first-class wine-maker licensees to manufacture up to 100,000 (now, 50,000) gallons of wine per year and second-class wine-maker licensees to manufacture between 100,000 and 200,000 (now, 50,000 and 100,000) gallons of wine per year. Permits first-class wine-maker licensees to sell 25,000 (now, 5,000) gallons of the licensee's wine to retailers and second-class wine-maker licensees to sell 50,000 (now, 10,000) gallons of the licensee's wine to retailers. Removes provisions prohibiting (i) the issuance of more than one wine-maker's license to any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal business entity and (ii) a subsidiary or affiliate, officer, associate, member, partner, representative, employee, agent, or shareholder of a first or second-class wine-maker licensee from being issued a wine-maker's license. Permits a special event retailer licensee to purchase up to $2,000 (now, $500) of alcoholic liquors from a licensed retailer. Permits a wine-maker's premises licensee that concurrently holds a first-class wine-maker's license to sell at retail on the licensed premises not more than 100,000 (now, 50,000) gallons of wine and a licensee holding a second-class wine-maker's license to sell at retail on the licensed premises not more than 200,000 (now, 100,000) gallons of wine. Permits a wine-maker's premises licensee to sell and offer for sale at up to 10 (now, 2) additional locations for use and consumption and not for resale. Creates an out-of-state shipper's license. Provides that an out-of-state shipper licensee may ship wine sold or manufactured by the licensee directly to a resident of Illinois who is 21 years of age or older for that resident's personal use and not for resale. Requires certain information to be collected and maintained and made available to the Illinois Liquor Control Commission by out-of-state shipper licensees. Provides an annual fee for the license. Provides that a first-class wine-maker licensee, second-class wine-maker licensee, or out-of-state shipper licensee (now, an adult resident or holder of an alcoholic beverage license in a state which affords Illinois licensees or adult residents an equal reciprocal shipping privilege) may ship up to 3 cases of wine per month (now, 2 cases per year) to residents of Illinois. Provides that delivery of a shipment by an out-of-state shipper licensee is deemed to constitute a sale in this State. Requires licensees to require transporters or common carriers who deliver the wine to obtain the signature of a person 21 years of age or older at the delivery address at the time of delivery. Permits wine-makers licensed in other states that ship or transport wine from a point outside of this State to a retailer in this State to ship or transport wine in the amount permitted for a wine-maker licensed in this State. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.