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House Bill 1651
March 13th, 2007 at 5:28pm
On Tuesday, March 13, HB1651 
received a Do Pass vote from the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs and will go to a vote in the Senate.
HB1651 will allow wineries in-state and out-of-state producing 250,000 gallons a year or less to sell their wines in Arkansas grocery and convenience stores.
HB1651 will also provide more competition among wineries and brings Arkansas Wine Shipping into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Granholm v. Heald.
Arkansas has a rich heritage of wine making dating from the time of the earliest settlers. Through the present, there have been 150 wineries bonded in Arkansas by the federal government since the repeal of prohibition and more than 1,000 Arkansas permits issued for wine making. Many ethnic backgrounds have contributed to this history enriching it through their cultural expressions. People living in all areas of the state have made wines for personal enjoyment and profit. The Arkansas Historic Wine Museum brings this heritage to you. Through the museum’s work in sponsoring research and preserving artifacts, the stories of people’s past are made a part of the future.
- Robert G. Cowie, Cowie Wine Cellars
SB 304s 
purpose is totally to protect the Arkansas liquor distributors 3-tier system at the expense of Arkansas wineries. There is no sense of equal treatment for wineries, no matter what angle it is viewed from. Almost all wineries in the rest of the United States are allowed to wholesale, retail, and ship from their manufacturing premises. SB 304 proposes to deny these privileges to Arkansas wineries, putting them at a significant disadvantage compared to wineries outside this state.
The Supreme Court ruling of Granholm vs Heald does not mandate a 3-tier system. Mandating a 3-tier system for alcoholic beverages has brought on unconstitutional barriers to free trade between states, against manufacturers, and against consumers. And through it all, liquor distributors profit.
Arkansas consumers under SB 304 will no longer be able to have wine shipped to them, nor will they be able to buy Arkansas wine at the winery without distributor profits added to the price.
– Michael Post, Mount Bethel Winery
Click here for a PDF summarizing Senate Bill 304 and its amendment, SB 304-S1
Click here to read a point-for-point opposition composed by representatives from Arkansas wineries.
Other documents pertinent to this bill:
There have been four amendments: Amendment 1 
; Amendment 2 
; Amendment 3 
; Amendment 4
.
Current Status:
unknown date & time
Withdrawn from discussion at Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs.
House Bill 1518
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:20am
Click here 
for a PDF summarizing House Bill 1518.
Current Status:
unknown date & time
In discussion in House Rules Committee.
