House Bill 192

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 67-1-9, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSPORT THROUGH AREAS THAT ARE DRY OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES THAT ARE LEGALLY PURCHASED IN THIS STATE IF SUCH ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE IN UNOPENED BOTTLES OR CONTAINERS AND BEING TRANSPORTED ON A STATE OR FEDERAL HIGHWAY; TO AMEND SECTIONS 67-3-7 AND 67-3-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE TRANSPORT THROUGH AREAS THAT ARE DRY OF LEGALLY PURCHASED LIGHT WINE AND BEER IF SUCH LIGHT WINE OR BEER IS IN UNOPENED CONTAINERS AND BEING TRANSPORTED ON A STATE OR FEDERAL HIGHWAY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 67-1-9, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

67-1-9. (1) It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, distill, brew, sell, possess, import into this state, export from the state, transport, distribute, warehouse, store, solicit, take order for, bottle, rectify, blend, treat, mix or process any alcoholic beverage except as authorized in this chapter. However, nothing contained herein shall prevent importers, wineries and distillers of alcoholic beverages from storing such alcoholic beverages in private bonded warehouses located within the State of Mississippi for the ultimate use and benefit of the * * *~~State Tax Commission~~ Department of Revenue as provided in Section 67-1-41. The * * *~~commission~~ department is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for the establishment of such private bonded warehouses and for the control of alcoholic beverages stored in such warehouses. Additionally, nothing herein contained shall prevent any duly licensed practicing physician or dentist from possessing or using alcoholic liquor in the strict practice of his profession, or prevent any hospital or other institution caring for sick and diseased persons, from possessing and using alcoholic liquor for the treatment of bona fide patients of such hospital or other institution. Any drugstore employing a licensed pharmacist may possess and use alcoholic liquors in the combination of prescriptions of duly licensed physicians. The possession and dispensation of wine by an authorized representative of any church for the purpose of conducting any bona fide rite or religious ceremony conducted by such church shall not be prohibited by this chapter.

(2) Any person, upon conviction of any provision of this section, shall be punished as follows:

(a) By a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail not less than one (1) week nor more than three (3) months, or both, for the first conviction under this section.

(b) By a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail not less than sixty (60) days, nor more than six (6) months, or both fine and imprisonment, for the second conviction for violating this section.

(c) By a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) or by imprisonment in the State Penitentiary not less than one (1) year, nor more than five (5) years, or both fine and imprisonment, for conviction the third time under this section for the violation thereof after having been twice convicted of its violation.

(3) Nothing in this section shall make it unlawful to transport bottles or containers of alcoholic beverages that are legally purchased in this state if the bottles or containers are unopened and are being transported on state or federal highway.

SECTION 2. Section 67-3-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

67-3-7. (1) If any county, at an election held for the purpose under the election laws of the state, shall by a majority vote of the duly qualified electors voting in the election determine that the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of wine and beer shall not be permitted in such county, then the same shall not be permitted therein except as authorized under Section 67-9-1 and as may be otherwise authorized in this section. An election to determine whether such transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of such beverages shall be excluded from any county in the state, shall, on a petition of twenty percent (20%) of the duly qualified electors of such county, be ordered by the board of supervisors of the county, for such county only. No election on the question shall be held in any one (1) county more often than once in five (5) years.

In counties which have elected, or may elect by a majority vote of the duly qualified electors voting in the election, that the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of wine or beer shall not be permitted in the county, an election may be held in the same manner as the election hereinabove provided on the question of whether or not the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of said beverages shall be permitted in such county. Such election shall be ordered by the board of supervisors of such county on a petition of twenty percent (20%) of the duly qualified electors of such county. No election on this question can be ordered more often than once in five (5) years.

(2) Nothing in this section shall make it unlawful to possess beer or wine, as defined herein, in any municipality which has heretofore or which may hereafter vote in an election, pursuant to Section 67-3-9, in which a majority of the qualified electors vote in favor of permitting the sale and the receipt, storage and transportation for the purpose of sale of beer or wine as defined herein.

(3) Nothing in this section shall make it unlawful to:

(a) Possess or consume light wine or beer at a qualified resort area as defined in Section 67-1-5;

(b) Sell, distribute and transport light wine or beer to a qualified resort area as defined in Section 67-1-5;

(c) Sell light wine or beer at a qualified resort area as defined in Section 67-1-5 if such light wine or beer is sold by a person with a permit to engage in the business as a retailer of light wine or beer;

(d) Transport beer of an alcoholic content of more than eight percent (8%) by weight if it is being transported to another state for legal sale in that state;

(e) Transport legally purchased light wine or beer in unopened containers if it is being transported on a state or federal highway; however, this paragraph shall not apply to a retailer unless the retailer has purchased the light wine or beer from a wholesaler or distributor for the designated sales territory in which the retailer is located and the retailer has in his possession an invoice from the wholesaler or distributor for the light wine or beer; or

( * * *ef) Transport homemade beer as authorized in Section 67-3-11.

SECTION 3. Section 67-3-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

67-3-13. (1) Except as otherwise provided herein and as authorized under this section and Section 67-9-1, in any county which has at any time since February 26, 1934, elected, or which may hereafter elect, to prohibit the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of wine and beer of an alcoholic content of not more than four percent (4%) by weight in such county, it is hereby declared to be unlawful to possess such beverages therein. In any county which, after July 1, 1998, elects to prohibit the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of wine and beer of an alcoholic content of not more than five percent (5%) by weight in such county, it is hereby declared to be unlawful to possess such beer therein. In any county which, after July 1, 2012, elects to prohibit the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of wine of an alcoholic content of not more than five percent (5%) by weight in such county and beer of an alcoholic content of not more than eight percent (8%) by weight, it is hereby declared to be unlawful to possess such beer therein. Any person found possessing any beer or wine of any quantity whatsoever in such county shall, on conviction, be imprisoned not more than ninety (90) days or fined not more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or be both so fined and imprisoned.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, in any county or municipality in which the transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of light wine and beer is prohibited, it shall not be unlawful for a permitted wholesaler or distributor to possess light wine and beer when such light wine and beer is held therein solely for the purpose of storage and for distribution to other counties and municipalities in which possession of such beverages is lawful.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, in any county in which transportation, storage, sale, distribution, receipt and/or manufacture of light wine and beer is prohibited, it shall not be unlawful:

(a) To receive, store, possess or consume light wine or beer at a resort area as defined in Section 67-1-5;

(b) To distribute and transport light wine or beer to a resort area as defined in Section 67-1-5;

(c) To transport beer of an alcoholic content of more than eight percent (8%) by weight if it is being transported to another state for legal sale in that state;

(d) To transport legally purchased light wine or beer in unopened containers if it is being transported on a state or federal highway; however, this paragraph shall not apply to a retailer unless the retailer has purchased the light wine or beer from a wholesaler or distributor for the designated sales territory in which the retailer is located and the retailer has in his possession an invoice from the wholesaler or distributor for the light wine or beer; or

( * * *de) To transport homemade beer as authorized in Section 67-3-11.

(4) Any light wine or beer found in possession of, or sold by, a person in violation of this section shall be seized and disposed of in the manner provided for in Section 67-1-18.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2018.