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An Act To Amend the Laws Dealing with the Purchase of Wine Online
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 28-A MRSA §1403-A, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 373, §1, is amended to read:
 
A. "Direct shipper" means a winery or a wine retailer that has obtained a wine direct shipper license under subsection 2.
Sec. 2. 28-A MRSA §1403-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 629, §29, is further amended to read:
 
2. Direct shipment of wine.   A small winery or other winery holding a federal basic wine manufacturing permit located within or outside the State or a wine retailer may obtain a wine direct shipper license by filing with the Liquor Licensing and Tax Division an application in a form determined by the bureau accompanied by an application fee of not more than $200 and a copy of the applicant's current federal basic wine manufacturing permit, as applicable, and a list of wine labels to be shipped in accordance with this section except that the application fee is waived for those wineries that agree to ship no more than 100 bottles into the State and for wine retailers.
 
SUMMARY
Current law allows a person to purchase wine online from a winery that has obtained a wine direct shipper license from the State. This bill expands the law so that a person can purchase wine online from a wine retailer as long as the wine retailer has obtained a wine direct shipper license. The bill also exempts a wine retailer or winery that qualifies for a wine direct shipper license and agrees to ship no more than 100 bottles into the State in a calendar year from the $200 application fee.