[ale] [OT] Out-of-state wine sales legalized

[Bob Toxen]

On Mon, May 16, 2005 at 01:19:48PM -0400, Sean Kilpatrick wrote:
> The supreme Court today ruled that internet wine sales are legal.
According to the Wall Street Journal (either yesterday or Tuesday)
the Supreme Court voided the laws in five states that prohibited those
states' residents from purchasing mail order wine from companies in
other states while allowing their residents from purchasing wine from
in-state companies.

The Court's reason was that the laws discriminated against the out-of-state
companies.

Alas, the Court let stand the law in the other states, INCLUDING GEORGIA,
because those states prohibit mail-ordering wine from anyone in-state
or not.  Thus, no ordering from Cali wineries.  Write your state
misrepresentative if you disagree.

Bob

> The Reuters story reads in part,

> " WASHINGTON (Reuters) - States cannot ban direct out-of-state wine 
> shipments if they allow their wineries to sell directly to consumers, the 
> U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday in a decision that could lead to lower 
> prices and more easily available choices.

> "By a 5-4 vote, the high court ruled that the bans involving out-of-state 
> wineries unconstitutionally discriminated against interstate commerce. Such 
> laws have been adopted in 23 states while the other 27 states allow direct 
> wine sales, industry officials said."

> full story is here:

> http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=761537

> Should also apply to beer.  Woo-hoo!

> Sean