MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Ways and Means

By: Representative Banks

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-71-5, 27-71-7, 27-71-29, 27-71-303, 27-71-307 AND 27-71-337, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT TWENTY PERCENT OF THE FUNDS GENERATED BY TAXES AND FEES ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE COUNTIES FROM WHICH SUCH FUNDS WERE GENERATED ON A PROPORTIONATE BASIS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 27-71-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-5. (1) Upon each person approved for a permit under the provisions of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law and amendments thereto, there is levied and imposed for each location for the privilege of engaging and continuing in this state in the business authorized by such permit, an annual privilege license tax in the amount provided in the following schedule:

(a) Manufacturer's permit, Class 1, distiller's and/or rectifier's $4,500.00

(b) Manufacturer's permit, Class 2, wine manufacturer

$1,800.00

(c) Manufacturer's permit, Class 3, native wine manufacturer per 10,000 gallons or part thereof produced $10.00

(d) Native wine retailer's permit $50.00

(e) Package retailer's permit, each $900.00

(f) On-premises retailer's permit, except for clubs and common carriers, each $450.00

On purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $225.00

(g) On-premises retailer's permit for wine of more than four percent (4%) alcohol by volume, but not more than twenty-one percent (21%) alcohol by volume (each) $225.00

On purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $225.00

(h) On-premises retailer's permit for clubs $225.00

On purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $225.00

(j) Solicitor's permit, regardless of any other provision of law, solicitor's permits shall be issued only in the discretion of the commission $100.00

(k) Filing fee for each application except for an employee identification card $25.00

(l) Temporary permit, Class 1, each $10.00

(m) Temporary permit, Class 2, each $50.00

On-premises purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $225.00

(n) (i) Caterer's permit $600.00

On purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $250.00

(ii) Caterer's permit for holders of on-premises retailer's permit $150.00

On purchases exceeding $5,000.00 and for each additional $5,000.00, or fraction thereof $250.00

(o) Research permit $100.00

(p) Filing fee for each application for an employee identification card $5.00

In addition to the filing fee imposed by item (k) of this subsection, a fee to be determined by the State Tax Commission may be charged to defray costs incurred to process applications. Such additional fees shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of a special fund account, which is hereby created, and expenditures therefrom shall be made only to defray the costs incurred by the State Tax Commission in processing alcoholic beverage applications. Eighty percent (80%) of any unencumbered balance remaining in the special fund account on June 30 of any fiscal year shall lapse into the State General Fund and the remaining twenty percent (20%) shall be forwarded to the counties where such fees were generated on a proportionate basis.

All privilege taxes herein imposed shall be paid in advance of doing business. The additional privilege tax imposed for an on-premises retailer's permit based upon purchases shall be due and payable on demand.

Any person who has paid the additional privilege license tax imposed by item (f), (g), (h), (m) or (n) of this subsection, and whose permit is renewed, may add any unused fraction of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) purchases to the first Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) purchases authorized by the renewal permit, and no additional license tax will be required until purchases exceed the sum of the two (2) figures.

(2) There is imposed and shall be collected from each permittee, except a common carrier, solicitor, holder of an employee identification card or a temporary permittee, by the commission, an additional license tax equal to the amounts imposed under subsection (1) of this section for the privilege of doing business within any municipality or county in which the licensee is located. If the licensee is located within a municipality, the commission shall pay the amount of additional license tax to the municipality, and if outside a municipality the commission shall pay the additional license tax to the county in which the licensee is located. Payments by the commission to the respective local government subdivisions shall be made once each month for any collections during the preceding month.

(3) When an application for any permit, other than for renewal of a permit, has been rejected by the commission, such decision shall be final. Appeal may be made in the manner provided by Section 67-1-39. Another application from an applicant who has been denied a permit shall not be reconsidered within a twelve-month period.

(4) The number of permits issued by the commission shall not be restricted or limited on a population basis; however, the foregoing limitation shall not be construed to preclude the right of the commission to refuse to issue a permit because of the undesirability of the proposed location.

(5) If any person shall engage or continue in any business which is taxable hereunder without having paid the tax as provided herein, such person shall be liable for the full amount of such tax plus a penalty thereon equal to the amount thereof, and, in addition, shall be punished by a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term of not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to consume alcoholic beverages on the premises of any hotel restaurant, restaurant, club or the interior of any public place defined in Chapter 1, Title 67, Mississippi Code of 1972, when the owner or manager thereof displays in several conspicuous places inside said establishment and at the entrances thereto a sign containing the following language: NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED.

SECTION 2. Section 27-71-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-7. (1) There is hereby levied and assessed an excise tax upon each case of alcoholic beverages sold by the commission to be collected from each retail licensee at the time of sale in accordance with the following schedule and distributed in accordance with this chapter:

(a) Distilled spirits $2.50 per gallon

(b) Sparkling wine and champagne $1.00 per gallon

(c) Other wines, including native

wines $ .35 per gallon

(2) (a) In addition to the tax levied by subsection (1) of this section, and in addition to any other markup collected, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division shall collect a markup of three percent (3%) on all alcoholic beverages, as defined in Section 67-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, which are sold by the division. The proceeds of the markup shall be collected by the division from each purchaser at the time of purchase.

(b) Until June 30, 1987, the revenue derived from this three percent (3%) markup shall be deposited by the division in the State Treasury to the credit of the "Alcoholism Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund," a special fund which is hereby created in the State Treasury, and shall be used by the Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse of the State Department of Mental Health and public or private centers or organizations solely for funding of treatment and rehabilitation programs for alcoholics and alcohol abusers which are sponsored by the division or public or private centers or organizations in such amounts as the Legislature may appropriate to the division for use by the division or public or private centers or organizations for such programs. Any tax revenue in the fund which is not encumbered at the end of the fiscal year shall lapse to the General Fund. It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Department of Mental Health shall continue to seek funds from other sources and shall use the funds appropriated for the purposes of this section and Section 27-71-29 to match all federal funds which may be available for alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation.

From and after July 1, 1987, the revenue derived from this three percent (3%) markup shall be deposited by the division in the State Treasury to the credit of the "Mental Health Programs Fund," a special fund which is hereby created in the State Treasury and shall be used by the State Department of Mental Health for the service programs of the department. Any revenue in the "Alcoholism Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund" which is not encumbered at the end of fiscal year 1987 shall be deposited to the credit of the "Mental Health Programs Fund."

SECTION 3. Section 27-71-29, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-29. All taxes levied by this article shall be paid to the State Tax Commission in cash or by personal check, cashier's check, bank exchange, post-office money order or express money order and shall be deposited by the commission in the State Treasury on the same day collected, but no remittances other than cash shall be a final discharge of liability for the tax herein imposed and levied unless and until it has been paid in cash to the State Tax Commission.

Eighty percent (80%) of all taxes levied under Section 27-71-7(1) and received by the commission under this article shall be paid into the General Fund, and the remaining twenty percent (20%) shall be forwarded to counties where such taxes were generated on a proportionate basis, and the three percent (3%) levied under Section 27-71-7(2) and received by the commission under this article shall be paid into the special fund in the State Treasury designated as the "Alcoholism Treatment and Rehabilitation Fund" as required by law. Any funds derived from the sale of alcoholic beverages in excess of inventory requirements shall be paid not less often than annually into the General Fund.

SECTION 4. Section 27-71-303, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-303. Upon each person approved for a permit to engage in the business of selling light wines or beer there is hereby imposed, levied and assessed, to be collected and paid as herein provided, annual privilege taxes in the following amounts:

(a) Retailers--for each place of business $ 30.00

(b) Wholesalers or distributors--for each

county $ 100.00

(c) Manufacturers--for each place of

business $1,000.00

(d) Brewpubs--for each place of business. $1,000.00

Upon each person operating an airline, bus, boat or railroad car upon which light wines or beer may be sold there is hereby imposed, levied and assessed, to be collected and paid, annual privilege taxes of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) for each airplane, bus, boat or railroad car so operated in this state.

Provided, however, the amount of the privilege tax to be paid for a permit issued for a period of less than twelve (12) months shall be that proportionate amount of the annual privilege tax that the number of months, or part of a month, remaining until its expiration date bears to twelve (12) months, but in no case shall the privilege tax be less than Ten Dollars ($10.00).

The tax imposed by this section shall be distributed as provided in this chapter.

SECTION 5. Section 27-71-307, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-307. (1) (a) In addition to the specific tax imposed in Section 27-71-303, there is hereby imposed, levied, assessed and shall be collected, as hereinafter provided, and distributed as provided by this chapter, an excise or privilege tax upon each person engaged or continuing in the business of wholesaler or distributor of light wines or beer equivalent to Forty-two and Sixty-eight One-hundredths Cents (42.68¢) per gallon upon all light wines and beer acquired for sale or distribution in this state. Such excise or privilege tax is also imposed at the same rate upon each gallon of light wine or beer manufactured by brewpubs, each of which shall accurately and reliably measure the quantity of light wine and beer produced by using a measuring device such as a meter or gauge glass or any other suitable method approved by the commissioner. Such tax is hereby imposed as an additional tax for the privilege of engaging or continuing in business.

(b) The excise tax imposed in this section shall be paid to the State Tax Commission monthly on or before the fifteenth day of the month following the month in which the beer or light wine was manufactured or received in this state. Monthly report forms shall be furnished by the commissioner to the wholesalers, distributors and brewpubs.

(c) Provided that persons operating a railroad dining car, club car or other car in interstate commerce upon which light wines or beer may be sold and who are licensed under the provisions of Section 67-3-27 and any other law relating to the sale of such beverages shall keep such records of the sales of such light wines and beer in this state as the commissioner shall prescribe and shall submit monthly reports of such sales to the commissioner within fifteen (15) days after the end of each month on a form prescribed therefor by the commissioner, and shall pay the tax due under the provisions of this section at the time such reports are filed.

No official crowns, lids, labels or stamps with the word "MISSISSIPPI" or "MS" imprinted thereon or any other evidence of tax payment is required by this section, or may be required under rule or regulation promulgated by the commissioner, to be affixed on or to any part of a beer, light wine or malt cooler bottle, can or other light wine or malt cooler container. For purposes of this section, malt cooler products shall be defined as a flavored malt beverage made from a base of malt beverage and flavored with fruit juices, aromatics and essences of other flavoring in quantities and proportions such that the resulting product possesses a character and flavor distinctive from the base malt beverage and distinguishable from other malt beverages.

(2) A licensed wholesaler or distributor of beer or light wine may not import beer or light wine from any source other than a brewer or importer authorized by the commissioner to sell such beer or light wine in Mississippi. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court and shall be subject to license forfeiture following an appropriate hearing before the State Tax Commission.

(3) The wholesaler or distributor shall be allowed credit for tax paid on beer or light wine which is no longer marketable and which is destroyed by same when such destruction is witnessed by an agent of the commissioner and when the amount of the excise tax exceeds One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). No other loss will be allowed.

A brewpub shall be allowed credit for light wine or beer which has passed through the meter, gauge glass or other approved measuring device and which has been soured or damaged. The brewpub shall record the removal of sour or damaged light wine or beer and may take credit after the destruction is witnessed by an agent of the commissioner and when the amount of excise tax exceeds Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00). No other loss shall be allowed.

(4) All manufacturers, brewers and importers of beer or light wine shall file monthly reports as prescribed by the commissioner listing sales to each wholesaler or distributor by date, invoice number, quantity and container size, and any other information deemed necessary.

(5) All administrative provisions of the Mississippi Sales Tax Law, including those which fix damages, penalties and interest for nonpayment of taxes and for noncompliance with the provisions of such chapter, and all other requirements and duties imposed upon taxpayers, shall apply to all persons liable for taxes under the provisions of this chapter, and the commissioner shall exercise all the power and authority and perform all the duties with respect to taxpayers under this chapter as are provided in the sales tax law except where there is conflict, then the provisions of this chapter shall control.

27-71-307. In addition to the specific tax imposed in Section 27-71-303, there is hereby imposed, levied, assessed and shall be collected, as hereinafter provided, and distributed as provided by this chapter, an excise or privilege tax upon each person engaged or continuing in the business of wholesaler or distributor of light wines or beer equivalent to Forty-two and Sixty-eight One-hundredths Cents (42.68¢) per gallon upon all light wines and beer acquired for sale or distribution in this state. Such excise or privilege tax is also imposed at the same rate upon each gallon of light wine or beer manufactured by brewpubs, each of which shall accurately and reliably measure the quantity of light wine and beer produced by using a measuring device such as a meter or gauge glass or any other suitable method approved by the commissioner. Such tax is hereby imposed as an additional tax for the privilege of engaging or continuing in business.

The excise tax imposed in this section shall be paid by the wholesaler or distributor to the State Tax Commission monthly on or before the fifteenth day of the month following the month in which the beer or light wine was manufactured or received in this state. Monthly report forms shall be furnished by the commissioner to the wholesalers, distributors and brewpubs.

Provided that persons operating a railroad dining car, club car or other car in interstate commerce upon which light wines or beer may be sold and who are licensed under the provisions of Section 67-3-27 and any other law relating to the sale of such beverages shall keep such records of the sales of such light wines and beer in this state as the commissioner shall prescribe and shall submit monthly reports of such sales to the commissioner within fifteen (15) days after the end of each month on a form prescribed therefor by the commissioner, and shall pay the tax due under the provisions of this section at the time such reports are filed.

All beer sold, received or stored in this state shall have imprinted by the manufacturer on each bottle, can or other container (including kegs, barrels or such large containers), the word "MISSISSIPPI" or "MS." The word "MISSISSIPPI" or "MS" may be printed, etched, engraved, embossed, ink jet sprayed or marked thereon by any permanent method that makes the word plain and conspicuous. If the bottle is covered by foil or any other material, the word "MISSISSIPPI" or "MS" shall be printed on the label, or elsewhere on the bottle, can or other container, in a manner to make it plain and conspicuous. The design for each type of crown, lid, label and the Mississippi identifying mark shall be submitted first to the commissioner for his approval before used. No official crowns, lids or stamps with the word "MISSISSIPPI" or "MS" imprinted thereon or any other evidence of tax payment shall be required to be affixed on or to any part of a light wine or malt cooler bottle, can or other light wine or malt cooler container. For purposes of this section, malt cooler products shall be defined as a flavored malt beverage made from a base of malt beverage and flavored with fruit juices, aromatics and essences of other flavoring in quantities and proportions such that the resulting product possesses a character and flavor distinctive from the base malt beverage and distinguishable from other malt beverages.

A licensed wholesaler or distributor of beer or light wine may not import beer or light wine from any source other than a brewer or importer authorized by the commissioner to sell such beer or light wine in Mississippi.

The wholesaler or distributor shall be allowed credit for tax paid on beer or light wine which is no longer marketable and which is destroyed by same when such destruction is witnessed by an agent of the commissioner and when the amount of the excise tax exceeds One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). No other loss will be allowed.

A brewpub shall be allowed credit for light wine or beer which has passed through the meter, gauge glass or other approved measuring device and which has been soured or damaged. The brewpub shall record the removal of sour or damaged light wine or beer and may take credit after the destruction is witnessed by an agent of the commissioner and when the amount of excise tax exceeds Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00). No other loss shall be allowed.

All manufacturers, brewers and importers of beer or light wine shall file monthly reports as prescribed by the commissioner listing sales to each wholesaler or distributor by date, invoice number, quantity and container size, and any other information deemed necessary.

All administrative provisions of the Mississippi Sales Tax Law, including those which fix damages, penalties and interest for nonpayment of taxes and for noncompliance with the provisions of such chapter, and all other requirements and duties imposed upon taxpayers, shall apply to all persons liable for taxes under the provisions of this chapter, and the commissioner shall exercise all the power and authority and perform all the duties with respect to taxpayers under this chapter as are provided in the sales tax law except where there is conflict, then the provisions of this chapter shall control.

SECTION 6. Section 27-71-337, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-71-337. All taxes levied by this article and required to be paid to the commissioner shall be payable to the commissioner in cash or by personal check, cashier's check, bank exchange, post-office money order or express money order and eighty percent (80%) shall be deposited by the commissioner into the State Treasury on the same day collected, and the remaining twenty percent (20%) shall be forwarded to the counties from which such taxes were generated on a proportionate basis, provided that no remittances other than cash shall be a final discharge of liability for the tax herein imposed and levied unless and until it has been paid in cash to the commissioner.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1999.