Current Minnesota laws allow any winery licensed in a state which
provides Minnesota wineries with equal reciprocal shipping privilege to
ship up to two cases of wine directly to a Minnesota resident. In
addition, under no circumstances may malt beverages or distilled spirits
in any quantity be shipped directly to Minnesota consumers by an out of
state distiller, wholesaler, manufacturer, broker, retailer or
deliverer.
Since there are no enforcement or record-keeping mechanisms in place,
more than two cases of wine and various quantities of other beverage
alcohol are being shipped to Minnesota residents.
MMBA is in favor of this proposal because the gathering of data is
necessary to objectively and quantitatively determine the social and
fiscal impact of this practice to Minnesota citizens. Only then, can
related public policy issues be effectively examined and possibly
modified.