Source: Chicago Tribune

A new bill allowing out-of-state wine retailers to ship and sell directly to Illinois consumers was introduced last week by state Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston).

The legislation, if approved as written, would require out-of-state retailers to obtain a shipping license and pay Illinois sales tax.

Hamos” legislation seeks to reverse a version of the law in place since last July that prohibited Illinois residents from ordering wine from out-of-state retailers and other non-winery vendors located outside Illinois. (Wineries in and out of Illinois may ship directly to residents here after obtaining a state shipping permit.) There has been persistent grumbling ever since from wine lovers no longer able to find the bottles they desire.

Lawmakers changed the law because of a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Granholm v. Heald, involving the states of Michigan and New York. The justices ruled a state could not discriminate against out-of-state wineries when it came to direct shipping. Illinois’ new law gave residents more opportunity to buy from out-of-state wineries while restricting purchases from stores, internet vendors and auction houses located out-of-state.

The proposed legislation is known now as House Bill 2462. It has been referred to the Rules Committee in Springfield. Stay tuned.