Hurry! Tell your delegate to support House Bill 1260
I like wine. You probably do, too. If I were to have some shipped from my favorite winery in Northern California, I would theoretically have to ship it to my wife’s work address in DC and have her drive it across the border into Maryland. But I, of course, would never do that. It might be illegal. Because Maryland has anachronistic laws that prevent direct to consumer shipping
Thirty-five states now allow licensed wineries to ship directly to consumers, representing 81% of US wine enjoyment, and the laws in these states are based on the same language now being proposed in Maryland. It’s time for Maryland’s wine lovers, not wholesaler middle men (or our stupid Montgomery County lawmakers), to decide what wines you can purchase and enjoy, and from whom.
Our very own Delegate Tom Hucker (tom.hucker@house.state.md.us) is one of the primary sponsors of House Bill 1260, and I urge you to contact the members of Maryland House Economic Matters Committee to ask them for their support as well. I’ve also written to Delegates Hixson (sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us) and Mizeur (heather.mizeur@house.state.md.us), but have not received a response, so I’m not sure what their opinions are.
Here is some sample email text and some contact info for you to support this measure. But HURRY – testimony will be heard starting Monday, February 18.
———-
Dear Delegate [INSERT NAME HERE],
As an adult voter of Maryland, I strongly urge you to SUPPORT direct-to-consumer wine shipping by passing House Bill 1260.
Thirty-five states now allow for legal, regulated winery-to-consumer shipments for personal enjoyment. But Maryland’s outmoded law prevents me from purchasing many of my favorite wines for personal enjoyment.
House Bill 1260 provides the solution. The bill includes regulations already working successfully in the majority of US states. The bill will improve choice in wine for me, create a new revenue source for the state, and satisfy regulatory concerns.
I believe that wine lovers like me, rather than the wine wholesaler middlemen, should decide which wines to purchase, and how we purchase them, from a winery, retailer, online, etc.
Please let me know how you will vote on this important consumer issue.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], Maryland [ZIP]
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Members of the Maryland House Economic Matters Committee:
Chair: Davis, Dereck E. (D), District 25
e-mail: dereck.davis@house.state.md.us
Vice-Chair: Rudolph, David D. (D), District 35B
e-mail: david.rudolph@house.state.md.us
Delegates:
Braveboy, Aisha N.
email: aisha.braveboy@house.state.md.us
Burns, Emmett C., Jr. (D), District 10
e-mail: emmett.burns@house.state.md.us
Feldman, Brian J. (D), District 15
e-mail: brian.feldman@house.state.md.us
Haddaway, Jeannie (R), District 37B
e-mail: jeannie.haddaway@house.state.md.us
Harrison, Hattie N. (D), District 45
e-mail: hattie.harrison@house.state.md.us
Hecht, C. Sue (D), District 3A
e-mail: sue.hecht@house.state.md.us
Impallario, Richard K. (R), District 7
e-mail: rick.impallaria@house.state.md.us
Jameson, Sally Y. (D), District 28
e-mail: sally.jameson@house.state.md.us
King, James J. (R), District 33A
e-mail: james.king@house.state.md.us
Kirk, Ruth M. (D), District 44
e-mail: ruth.kirk@house.state.md.us
Krysiak, Carolyn J. (D), District 46
e-mail: carolyn.krysiak@house.state.md.us
Love, Mary Ann (D), District 32
e-mail: maryann.love@house.state.md.us
Manno, Roger (D), District 19
e-mail: roger.manno@house.state.md.us
Mathias, James N., Jr. (D), District 38B
e-mail: james.mathias@house.state.md.us
McHale, Brian K. (D), District 47A
e-mail: brian.mchale@house.state.md.us
Miller, Warren E. (R), District 9A
e-mail: warren.miller@house.state.md.us
Minnick, Joseph J. (D), District 7
e-mail: joseph.minnick@house.state.md.us
Stifler, Donna (R), District 35A
e-mail: donna.stifler@house.state.md.us
Taylor, Herman L., Jr. (D), District 14
e-mail: herman.taylor@house.state.md.us
Vaughn, Michael L. (D), District 24
e-mail: michael.vaughn@house.state.md.us
Walkup, Mary Roe (R), District 36
e-mail: mary.roe.walkup@house.state.md.us
7 Comments so far
Thanks for keeping up with the issues! I’ve already sent out my own emails…
Thayer Ave wrote:
“Testimony will be heard starting Monday, February 18.”
Is that still a go, given that Monday is Presidents Day? The House is also scheduled to discuss the Fillmore’s liquor license that same day.
I think so, but I’ve contacted Delegate Hucker’s office to be sure. Updates to come.
thanks Eric for explaining this to me at work, i was surprised to hear about such a law. Perhaps we need “ThayerAvenue.com YES ON Bill 1260″ t-shirts hehehe
Thanks for that news. I’ll definitely contact my representatives.
Last Christmas my wife’s sister mailed presents to my wife and my wife’s brother, who lives in Virginia. The brother received a really nice bottle of wine but, because we live in fuddy-duddy MoCo, we received jars of freakin’ pepper relish!
Okay, I like pepper relish, but I like wine more!
Jennifer,
Yes, the House is meeting Mon, Feb 18 despite the Presidents Day holiday, and HB 1260 is scheduled to be heard in the Economic Matters Committee at 1 pm. The bill has a lot of grassroots support and a lot of special interest opposition, so keep those emails coming, including after the hearing! Thanks for the support, and please copy our office at tom.hucker@house.state.md.us on any communication with other lawmakers.
Best,
Tom Hucker
over two weeks without a post? your blog is now officially more stale than the bread at the Thayer Ave Safeway…
TBL tonight!! The Dude abides.