MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Ways and Means
By: Representative Watson
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 67-1-41, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS FOR THE SALE, FRANCHISE, LICENSE OR LEASE OF THE STATE'S WHOLESALE ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH DISTRIBUTING AND SELLING WINES; TO PROVIDE THE MANNER IN WHICH SUCH CONTRACTS SHALL BE LET BY THE DEPARTMENT; TO AUTHORIZE RETAIL PERMITEES TO PURCHASE WINE FROM A WHOLESALE WINE PROVIDER WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO MAKE SUCH SALES; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH PROVIDERS SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO IMPORT, DISTRIBUTE AND SELL WINES TO PERMITTEES IN THIS STATE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE WHOLESALE WINE PROVIDER SHALL COLLECT ALL EXCISE AND SALES TAX DUE UPON SUCH SALES; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, THROUGH THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL DIVISION, SHALL REGULATE THE WHOLESALE PRICES OF ALL WINE SOLD BY PRIVATE ENTITIES; TO PROVIDE THAT A PRIVATE ENTITY AWARDED THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO DISTRIBUTE WINE PURSUANT TO THIS ACT IS IMMUNE FROM ANTITRUST ACTION SO LONG AS THE ENTITY IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S RULES AND ALL OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 27-71-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE EXCISE TAX APPLIES TO WINE SOLD AT WHOLESALE BY A PRIVATE ENTITY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PER GALLON EXCISE TAX LEVIED ON A CASE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SHALL BE DETERMINED PROPORTIONALLY IF THE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN A CASE IS LESS THAN A GALLON; TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-71-5, 27-71-11, 27-71-15, 27-71-23, 67-1-5, 67-1-9 AND 67-5-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 67-1-41, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
67-1-41. (1) (a) The Department of Revenue is hereby created a wholesale distributor and seller of alcoholic beverages, not including malt liquors, within the State of Mississippi. It is granted the sole right to import and sell intoxicating liquors at wholesale within the state, and no person who is granted the right to sell, distribute or receive intoxicating liquors at retail shall purchase any intoxicating liquors from any source other than the department except:
(i) As authorized in subsections (5) and (10) of this section; and
(ii) From a wholesale wine provider who is authorized to make such sale as the person to whom the department has sold, franchised, licensed or leased all or part of the state's wholesale wine activities under subsection (3) of this section.
(b) Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit the department from selling, franchising, licensing or leasing its right to import and sale at wholesale wines to a wholesale wine provider under subsection (3) of this section. Upon the sale, franchising, licensing or leasing of all or a portion of the state's wholesale wine activities, and to the extent and under the conditions that a wholesale wine provider has obtained the authority from the department to distribute and sell wines to permittees in this state, the wholesale wine provider shall be allowed to import and sell wines at wholesale in this state. (c) The department may establish warehouses, purchase intoxicating liquors in such quantities and from such sources as it may deem desirable and sell the intoxicating liquors to authorized permittees within the state including, at the discretion of the department, any retail distributors operating within any military post or qualified resort areas within the boundaries of the state, keeping a correct and accurate record of all such transactions and exercising such control over the distribution of alcoholic beverages as seem right and proper in keeping with the provisions or purposes of this chapter.
(2) (a) The Legislature finds that it is in the public interest to seek efficiencies and cost savings from privatizing the state's wholesale wine business. Privatization may include the grant of one or more exclusive service territories in which a private sector entity has the exclusive right to distribute wine as defined in Section 67-1-5 subject to price regulation by the Department of Revenue.
(b) The department may enter into a contract for the sale, franchise, license or lease of and may sell, franchise, license or lease the state's wholesale wine activities associated with distributing and selling wines authorized to be sold by the Department of Revenue. Any contract for the sale, franchise, license or lease of the state's wholesale wine activities must be for a minimum of five (5) years with any extension being at the sole discretion of the department. The buyer, franchisee, licensee or lessee may sell and distribute to permittees all wines authorized to be sold by the state. While a wholesale wine provider is acting as the wholesaler and making contractual payments to the state, the markup provided for in Section 27-71-11 will not be collected. This section does not affect the state's continuing right to collect excise or sales tax from the sale or manufacture of wine. The wholesale wine provider shall collect all excise tax due under Section 27-71-7 and sales tax due under Section 27-65-25. The failure of the wholesale wine provider to collect the excise tax or sales tax from the retailer does not relieve the provider of its liability to the department for the taxes.
(c) The department shall issue a request for proposal to obtain proposals to effect the transfer of the state's wholesale wine business to a private entity. The request for proposal must include:
(i) A finding of the department setting forth the method of transfer that promotes the Legislature's intent in enacting this section;
(ii) Procedures designed to encourage vigorous bidding for the state's wholesale wine business;
(iii) A requirement for a bond in an amount sufficient to cover the sales and excise tax collected by the department the previous year in addition to other costs reasonably associated with the cost of the state if the wholesale wine provider fails to comply with its contractual obligations.
(iv) A prohibition of a wholesale wine provider from holding a package retailer's permit or an on-premises retailer's permit; and
(v) Any rules or requirements that the department determines are consistent with the Legislature's intent.
(d) The department, through the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Revenue, shall regulate the wholesale prices of all wine sold by private entities under this section. The Department of Revenue shall adopt rules for the effective implementation of price regulation of the wholesale business. A private entity awarded the exclusive right to distribute wine pursuant to this subsection is immune from antitrust action so long as the entity is in compliance with the department's rules and all other applicable laws and regulations.
(3) No person for the purpose of sale shall manufacture, distill, brew, sell, possess, export, transport, distribute, warehouse, store, solicit, take orders for, bottle, rectify, blend, treat, mix or process any alcoholic beverage except in accordance with authority granted under this chapter, or as otherwise provided by law for native wines.
(4) No alcoholic beverage intended for sale or resale shall be imported, shipped or brought into this state for delivery to any person other than as provided in this chapter, or as otherwise provided by law for native wines.
(5) The department may promulgate rules and regulations which authorize on-premises retailers to purchase limited amounts of alcoholic beverages from package retailers and for package retailers to purchase limited amounts of alcoholic beverages from other package retailers. The department shall develop and provide forms to be completed by the on-premises retailers and the package retailers verifying the transaction. The completed forms shall be forwarded to the department within a period of time prescribed by the department.
(6) The department may promulgate rules which authorize the holder of a package retailer's permit to permit individual retail purchasers of packages of alcoholic beverages to return, for exchange, credit or refund, limited amounts of original sealed and unopened packages of alcoholic beverages purchased by the individual from the package retailer.
(7) The department shall maintain all forms to be completed by applicants necessary for licensure by the department at all district offices of the department.
(8) The department may promulgate rules which authorize the manufacturer of an alcoholic beverage or wine to import, transport and furnish or give a sample of alcoholic beverages or wines to the holders of package retailer's permits, on-premises retailer's permits, native wine retailer's permits and temporary retailer's permits who have not previously purchased the brand of that manufacturer from the department. For each holder of the designated permits, the manufacturer may furnish not more than five hundred (500) milliliters of any brand of alcoholic beverage and not more than three (3) liters of any brand of wine.
(9) The department may promulgate rules disallowing open product sampling of alcoholic beverages or wines by the holders of package retailer's permits and permitting open product sampling of alcoholic beverages by the holders of on-premises retailer's permits. Permitted sample products shall be plainly identified "sample" and the actual sampling must occur in the presence of the manufacturer's representatives during the legal operating hours of on-premises retailers.
(10) The department may promulgate rules and regulations that authorize the holder of a research permit to import and purchase limited amounts of alcoholic beverages from importers, wineries and distillers of alcoholic beverages or from the department. The department shall develop and provide forms to be completed by the research permittee verifying each transaction. The completed forms shall be forwarded to the department within a period of time prescribed by the department. The records and inventory of alcoholic beverages shall be open to inspection at any time by the Director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division or any duly authorized agent.
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 department or a wholesale wine provider to be collected from each retail licensee at the time of sale in accordance with the following rates:
(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
If the amount of alcoholic beverages in a case is not exactly a gallon or a multiple of a gallon, the amount of tax levied and assessed under this subsection on that portion of a case of alcoholic beverages that is only a part of a gallon shall be determined proportionally based on the above tax rates. The department shall establish guidelines for determining the excise tax under this subsection on a proportional basis.
(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 of Mental Health. 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 27-71-5, 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) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (1), 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 ten thousand (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 Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 225.00
(g) On-premises retailer's permit for wine of more than five percent (5%) alcohol by weight, but not more than twenty-one percent (21%) alcohol by weight, each............................... $ 225.00
On purchases exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 225.00
(h) On-premises retailer's permit for clubs $ 225.00
On purchases exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 225.00
(i) On-premises retailer's permit for common carriers, per car, plane, or other vehicle............................... $ 120.00
(j) Solicitor's permit, regardless of any other provision of law, solicitor's permits shall be issued only in the discretion of the department............................................ $ 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 Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof...................................................... $ 225.00
(n) (i) Caterer's permit.................. $ 600.00
On purchases exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($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 Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 250.00
(o) Research permit........................ $ 100.00
(p) Temporary permit, Class 3 (wine only).....$ 10.00
(q) Special service permit................. $ 225.00
On purchases exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 250.00
(r) Merchant permit........................ $ 225.00
On purchases exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) and for each additional Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or fraction thereof $ 250.00
(s) Temporary wine charitable auction permit $ 10.00
If a person approved for a manufacturer's permit, Class 1, distiller's permit produces a product with at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the finished product by volume being obtained from alcoholic fermentation of grapes, fruits, berries, honey and/or vegetables grown and produced in Mississippi, and produces all of the product by using not more than one (1) still having a maximum capacity of one hundred fifty (150) liters, the annual privilege license tax for such a permit shall be Ten Dollars ($10.00) per ten thousand (10,000) gallons or part thereof produced. Bulk, concentrated or fortified ingredients used for blending may be produced outside this state and used in producing such a product.
In addition to the filing fee imposed by paragraph (k) of this subsection, a fee to be determined by the Department of Revenue may be charged to defray costs incurred to process applications. The 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 Department of Revenue in processing alcoholic beverage applications. Any unencumbered balance remaining in the special fund account on June 30 of any fiscal year shall lapse into the State General Fund.
All privilege taxes imposed by this section shall be paid in advance of doing business. The additional privilege tax imposed for a * * * permit based upon purchases under paragraph (f), (g), (h), (m), (n), (q) or (r) of this subsection shall be due and payable on demand. In determining the amount of purchases in computing the amount of privilege taxes under item (f), (g), (h), (m), (n), (q) or (r) of this subsection, all purchases of alcoholic beverages by a permittee from any source shall be considered, including, but not limited to, purchases from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the department, from a wholesale wine provider and from a package retailer. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations to set out the time and the manner whereby purchases of alcoholic beverages by a permittee from a source other than the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the department shall be reported by the permittee and/or the seller to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the department.
Any person who has paid the additional privilege license tax imposed by paragraph (f), (g), (h), (m), (n), (q) or (r) 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 or a temporary permittee, by the department, 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 department shall pay the amount of additional license tax to the municipality, and if outside a municipality the department shall pay the additional license tax to the county in which the licensee is located. Payments by the department 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 department, 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 department shall not be restricted or limited on a population basis; however, the foregoing limitation shall not be construed to preclude the right of the department 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 under this section without having paid the tax as provided in this section, the person shall be liable for the full amount of the 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 the establishment and at the entrances of establishment a sign containing the following language: NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED.
SECTION 4. Section 27-71-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-71-11. The department shall, from time to time, by resolution request the State Bond Commission to provide sufficient funds required to maintain an adequate alcoholic beverage inventory. The funds shall be provided under the provisions of Chapter 557, Laws of 1966.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 67-1-41(2), the department shall add to the cost of all alcoholic beverages a markup of twenty-seven and one-half percent (27-1/2%), inclusive of the three percent (3%) markup imposed by Section 27-71-7(2).
The department shall sell alcoholic beverages at uniform prices throughout the state.
SECTION 5. Section 27-71-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-71-15. Except as otherwise provided in Section 67-9-1 for the transportation of limited amounts of alcoholic beverages for the use of an alcohol processing permittee, if transportation requires passage through a county which has not authorized the sale of alcoholic beverages, such transportation shall be by a sealed vehicle. Such seal shall remain unbroken until the vehicle shall reach the place of business operated by the permittee. The operator of any vehicle transporting alcoholic beverages shall have in his possession an invoice issued by the department or an authorized wholesale wine provider at the time of the wholesale sale covering the merchandise transported by the vehicle. The department is authorized to issue regulations controlling the transportation of alcoholic beverages.
When the restrictions imposed by this section and by the regulation of the department have not been violated, the person transporting alcoholic beverages through a county wherein the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited shall not be guilty of unlawful possession and such merchandise shall be immune from seizure.
SECTION 6. Section 27-71-23, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
27-71-23. (1) Any person liable for the payment of a privilege tax under the provisions of this article who shall violate any of the provisions of this article, or any rules or regulations promulgated by the department under authority of this article, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, 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. Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this article, or any rules or regulations promulgated by the Department of Revenue under authority of this article, shall forfeit his permit and shall not thereafter be permitted to engage in any business taxable under the provisions of this article for a period of five (5) years.
(2) Any wholesale wine provider who makes a sale of alcoholic beverages in this state is required to collect from the retail licensee to whom the alcoholic beverages are sold the excise tax due on such alcoholic beverages under Section 27-71-7. The funds so collected shall be considered "trust fund monies" and the wholesale wine provider shall hold these funds in trust for the State of Mississippi until they are paid to the department. The wholesale wine provider shall be liable to the department for the excise tax due on such alcoholic beverages under Section 27-71-7 whether or not the excise tax is collected from the retail licensee. The wholesale wine provider shall report and pay the excise due to the department at intervals and in the manner determined by the department. The department is hereby authorized to assess the wholesale wine provider for any excise tax under Section 27-71-7 that the wholesale wine provider fails to pay and any penalty and/or interest for such failure. Such assessment shall be made in accordance with the same procedure for the issuance of an assessment for sales tax under Section 27-65-37 and the penalty and interest assessed shall be determined as penalty and interest for sales tax under Section 27-65-39. The provisions of Section 27-65-55 shall also apply to any excise tax, penalty and/or interest owed by a wholesale wine provider. If the wholesale wine provider assessed for excise tax, penalty and/or interest shall fail or refuse to make payment of the assessment when due, the department may file notice of tax liens and issue warrants in the same manner and with the same effect as liens and warrants are issued and executed upon under the provisions of Sections 27-65-57 through 27-65-69. The authority granted to special agents in Section 27-65-91 shall also apply with the same force and effect in the execution of warrants and orders issued under this subsection. Nothing in this subsection or in any other law shall prohibit the department from disclosing the information obtained by the department from a wholesale wine provider in the reporting and payment of excise tax under this section or in any other manner to a public official of this state in the performance of his duties, to an official of another state involved with regulation and/or sale of alcoholic beverages and to an association consisting, in whole or in part, of state agencies involved in the regulation and/or sale of alcoholic beverages.
SECTION 7. Section 67-1-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
67-1-5. For the purposes of this chapter and unless otherwise required by the context:
(a) "Alcoholic beverage" means any alcoholic liquid, including wines of more than five percent (5%) of alcohol by weight, capable of being consumed as a beverage by a human being, but shall not include wine containing five percent (5%) or less of alcohol by weight and shall not include beer containing not more than five percent (5%) of alcohol by weight, as provided for in Section 67-3-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, but shall include native wines. The words "alcoholic beverage" shall not include ethyl alcohol manufactured or distilled solely for fuel purposes.
(b) "Alcohol" means the product of distillation of any fermented liquid, whatever the origin thereof, and includes synthetic ethyl alcohol, but does not include denatured alcohol or wood alcohol.
(c) "Distilled spirits" means any beverage containing more than four percent (4%) of alcohol by weight produced by distillation of fermented grain, starch, molasses or sugar, including dilutions and mixtures of these beverages.
(d) "Wine" or "vinous liquor" means any product obtained from the alcoholic fermentation of the juice of sound, ripe grapes, fruits or berries and made in accordance with the revenue laws of the United States.
(e) "Person" means and includes any individual, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity whatsoever.
(f) "Manufacturer" means any person engaged in manufacturing, distilling, rectifying, blending or bottling any alcoholic beverage.
(g) "Wholesaler" means any person, other than a manufacturer, engaged in distributing or selling any alcoholic beverage at wholesale for delivery within or without this state when such sale is for the purpose of resale by the purchaser.
(h) "Retailer" means any person who sells, distributes, or offers for sale or distribution, any alcoholic beverage for use or consumption by the purchaser and not for resale.
(i) "State Tax Commission," "commission" or "department" means the Department of Revenue of the State of Mississippi, which shall create a division in its organization to be known as the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division. Any reference to the commission or the department hereafter means the powers and duties of the Department of Revenue with reference to supervision of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.
(j) "Division" means the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Revenue.
(k) "Municipality" means any incorporated city or town of this state.
(l) "Hotel" means an establishment within a municipality, or within a qualified resort area approved as such by the department, where, in consideration of payment, food and lodging are habitually furnished to travelers and wherein are located at least twenty (20) adequately furnished and completely separate sleeping rooms with adequate facilities that persons usually apply for and receive as overnight accommodations. Hotels in towns or cities of more than twenty-five thousand (25,000) population are similarly defined except that they must have fifty (50) or more sleeping rooms. Any such establishment described in this paragraph with less than fifty (50) beds shall operate one or more regular dining rooms designed to be constantly frequented by customers each day. When used in this chapter, the word "hotel" shall also be construed to include any establishment that meets the definition of "bed and breakfast inn" as provided in this section.
(m) "Restaurant" means a place which is regularly and in a bona fide manner used and kept open for the serving of meals to guests for compensation, which has suitable seating facilities for guests, and which has suitable kitchen facilities connected therewith for cooking an assortment of foods and meals commonly ordered at various hours of the day; the service of such food as sandwiches and salads only shall not be deemed in compliance with this requirement. No place shall qualify as a restaurant under this chapter unless twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the revenue derived from such place shall be from the preparation, cooking and serving of meals and not from the sale of beverages, or unless the value of food given to and consumed by customers is equal to twenty-five percent (25%) or more of total revenue.
(n) "Club" means an association or a corporation:
(i) Organized or created under the laws of this state for a period of five (5) years prior to July 1, 1966;
(ii) Organized not primarily for pecuniary profit but for the promotion of some common object other than the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages;
(iii) Maintained by its members through the payment of annual dues;
(iv) Owning, hiring or leasing a building or space in a building of such extent and character as may be suitable and adequate for the reasonable and comfortable use and accommodation of its members and their guests;
(v) The affairs and management of which are conducted by a board of directors, board of governors, executive committee, or similar governing body chosen by the members at a regular meeting held at some periodic interval; and
(vi) No member, officer, agent or employee of which is paid, or directly or indirectly receives, in the form of a salary or other compensation any profit from the distribution or sale of alcoholic beverages to the club or to members or guests of the club beyond such salary or compensation as may be fixed and voted at a proper meeting by the board of directors or other governing body out of the general revenues of the club.
The department may, in its discretion, waive the five-year provision of this paragraph. In order to qualify under this paragraph, a club must file with the department, at the time of its application for a license under this chapter, two (2) copies of a list of the names and residences of its members and similarly file, within ten (10) days after the election of any additional member, his name and address. Each club applying for a license shall also file with the department at the time of the application a copy of its articles of association, charter of incorporation, bylaws or other instruments governing the business and affairs thereof.
(o) "Qualified resort area" means any area or locality outside of the limits of incorporated municipalities in this state commonly known and accepted as a place which regularly and customarily attracts tourists, vacationists and other transients because of its historical, scenic or recreational facilities or attractions, or because of other attributes which regularly and customarily appeal to and attract tourists, vacationists and other transients in substantial numbers; however, no area or locality shall so qualify as a resort area until it has been duly and properly approved as such by the department.
(i) The department may approve an area or locality outside of the limits of an incorporated municipality that is in the process of being developed as a qualified resort area if such area or locality, when developed, can reasonably be expected to meet the requisites of the definition of the term "qualified resort area." In such a case, the status of qualified resort area shall not take effect until completion of the development.
(ii) The term includes any state park which is declared a resort area by the department; however, such declaration may only be initiated in a written request for resort area status made to the department by the Executive Director of the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, and no permit for the sale of any alcoholic beverage, as defined in this chapter, except an on-premises retailer's permit, shall be issued for a hotel, restaurant or bed and breakfast inn in such park.
(iii) The term includes:
1. The clubhouses associated with the state park golf courses at the Lefleur's Bluff State Park, the John Kyle State Park, the Percy Quin State Park and the Hugh White State Park;
2. The clubhouse and associated golf course where the golf course is adjacent to one or more planned residential developments and the golf course and all such developments collectively include at least seven hundred fifty (750) acres and at least four hundred (400) residential units;
3. Any facility located on property that is a game reserve with restricted access that consists of at least three thousand (3,000) contiguous acres with no public roads and that offers as a service hunts for a fee to overnight guests of the facility;
4. Any facility located on federal property surrounding a lake and designated as a recreational area by the United States Army Corps of Engineers that consists of at least one thousand five hundred (1,500) acres;
5. Any facility that is located in a municipality that is bordered by the Pearl River, traversed by Mississippi Highway 25, adjacent to the boundaries of the Jackson International Airport and is located in a county which has voted against coming out from under the dry law; however, any such facility may only be located in areas designated by the governing authorities of such municipality;
6. Any municipality with a population in excess of ten thousand (10,000) according to the latest federal decennial census that is located in a county that is bordered by the Pearl River and is not traversed by Interstate Highway 20, with a population in excess of forty-five thousand (45,000) according to the latest federal decennial census;
7. The West Pearl Restaurant Tax District as defined in Chapter 912, Local and Private Laws of 2007.
The status of these municipalities, districts, clubhouses, facilities and golf courses described in subparagraph (iii) of this paragraph (o) as qualified resort areas does not require any declaration of same by the department.
(p) "Native wine" means any product, produced in Mississippi for sale, having an alcohol content not to exceed twenty-one percent (21%) by weight and made in accordance with revenue laws of the United States, which shall be obtained primarily from the alcoholic fermentation of the juice of ripe grapes, fruits, berries or vegetables grown and produced in Mississippi; provided that bulk, concentrated or fortified wines used for blending may be produced without this state and used in producing native wines. The department shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to permit a producer to import such bulk and/or fortified wines into this state for use in blending with native wines without payment of any excise tax that would otherwise accrue thereon.
(q) "Native winery" means any place or establishment within the State of Mississippi where native wine is produced in whole or in part for sale.
(r) "Bed and breakfast inn" means an establishment within a municipality where in consideration of payment, breakfast and lodging are habitually furnished to travelers and wherein are located not less than eight (8) and not more than nineteen (19) adequately furnished and completely separate sleeping rooms with adequate facilities, that persons usually apply for and receive as overnight accommodations; however, such restriction on the minimum number of sleeping rooms shall not apply to establishments on the National Register of Historic Places. No place shall qualify as a bed and breakfast inn under this chapter unless on the date of the initial application for a license under this chapter more than fifty percent (50%) of the sleeping rooms are located in a structure formerly used as a residence.
(s) "Board" shall refer to Board of Tax Appeals of the State of Mississippi.
(t) "Spa facility" means an establishment within a municipality or qualified resort area and owned by a hotel where, in consideration of payment, patrons receive from licensed professionals a variety of private personal care treatments such as massages, facials, waxes, exfoliation and hairstyling.
(u) "Art studio or gallery" means an establishment within a municipality or qualified resort area, that is in the sole business of allowing patrons to view and/or purchase paintings and other creative artwork.
(v) "Cooking school" means an establishment within a municipality or qualified resort area and owned by a nationally recognized company that offers an established culinary education curriculum and program where, in consideration of payment, patrons are given scheduled professional group instruction on culinary techniques. For purposes of this paragraph, the definition of cooking school shall not include schools or classes offered by grocery stores, convenience stores or drugstores.
(w) "Wholesale wine provider" means an entity or entities contracted with the state under Section 67-1-41(3) as an agent of the state for the purpose of providing wholesale wine to permittees.
(x) "Permittee" or "licensee" means the holder of a permit issued under Section 67-1-51.
SECTION 8. 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 Department of Revenue or a wholesale wine provider as provided in Section 67-1-41. The 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 in this section 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.
SECTION 9. Section 67-5-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
67-5-13. (1) Upon every producer holding a permit for the production of native wine, there is levied and imposed for each location for the privilege of engaging and continuing in this state in the production of native wine an annual privilege license tax in an amount equal to Ten Dollars ($10.00) for each ten thousand (10,000) gallons, or any part thereof, of native wine produced by the winery.
(2) There is levied and assessed an excise tax upon each case of native wine sold by a producer to any source to be collected from the producer in the amount provided for in Section 27-71-7. However, native wine produced in Mississippi for export and sale without this state and native wine produced in Mississippi and sold to the department or a wholesale wine provider shall not be subject to the excise tax, nor shall the tax accrue or be collected on native wines dispensed, as free samples in quantities of not more than six (6) ounces, in the tasting room of a native winery.
(3) The privilege tax imposed by subsection (1) of this section shall be collected in the same manner as presently provided by law for the collection of other alcoholic beverages. The excise tax imposed by subsection (2) of this section shall be reported monthly by the producer to the department on all sales made in Mississippi to consumers at the location of the native winery or its immediate vicinity, along with a statement of gallonage produced during that month, and the producer shall remit the tax due and owing with each report. The producer shall also include in the report a statement of gallonage sold and exported for sale outside this state.
(4) All taxes levied by and collected under this section shall be deposited in the General Fund.
SECTION 10. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010, and shall stand repealed from and after June 30, 2010.