UncorkNJ

Senate Committee Passes S-766, Direct Shipping Bill!

Congratulations! You did it! We are very pleased to report the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee yesterday afternoon reported the direct shipping bill out of committee by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

Senate President Sweeney, one of the bill's sponsors, commented on the importance of this issue, "Allowing direct shipments of wine to and from New Jersey will not only enhance consumer choice, but would provide essential inroads for our budding wine industry. With our wineries producing better and better wines and winning prestigious awards, we should be expanding, not limiting, access to New Jersey wines."

We would like to sincerely thank the following individuals and organizations who testified at the committee hearing in favor of S766:

Steven E. Some, on behalf of UnCorkNJ

Jon Holt, on behalf of the Wine Institute

Charlie Tomasello, co-owner of Tomasello Winery in Hammonton, NJ, and on behalf of the Garden State Wine Growers Association

Rory Philipson, owner of The Blue Bottle Cafe in Hopewell, NJ

Bruce Smith, wine enthusiast

We would also like to thank the following individuals and organizations who were not able to testify but wrote-in their support for the direct shipping bill:

Joe Broski, national secretary of the American Wine Society

Phyllis Deroian, wine enthusiast

Barbara and Murry Kirch, wine enthusiasts

Please continue to encourage your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to contact their legislators and support direct shipping.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF UNCORKNJ, WE ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO GETTING THE BILL PASSED!!!

Senate President's Bill to Allow Direct Wine Shipping to be Considered by Senate Law & Public Safety Committee on Thursday

We are pleased to alert you that S766, sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3) to permit direct shipping of wine to New Jersey residents has been scheduled for a vote at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4, in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, Room  10, Third Floor, State House Annex  in Trenton.
 
TAKE ACTION NOW!  We ask that you please contact the members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee and urge them to support this legislation. We have provided a fast and easy way to help. Simply click the - Alert-Take Action - button. Once you see a web page containing a letter of support, carefully enter your address information in the fields provided. These fields ensure that your message gets to all the members of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee as well as your local legislators.
 
Recently, Maine and Tennessee have allowed direct shipping, and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned a Massachusetts statue, ruling the ban on winery-to-consumer shipments is unconstitutional.  They join 32 other states in allowing for the direct shipment of wine to their residents. We need your help now to ensure New Jersey residents are provided with the same rights as other consumers.
 
The Senate bill, S766, is sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3), and Senator Brian Stack (D-33), and co-sponsored by: Senators Anthony Bucco (R-25), Jim Whelan (D-2), Gerald Cardinale (R-39), Jeff Van Drew (D-1), James Beach (D-6) and Robert Gordon (D-38).
 
The companion Assembly bill, A1702, is sponsored by Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-3), Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-6), Assemblyman Ruben Ramos (D-33) and Assemblyman Peter Biondi (R-16), and co-sponsored by: Assemblywomen Connie Wagner (D-38), Caridad Rodriguez (D-33), Nellie Pou (D-35), Nancy Munoz (R-21) and Grace Spencer (D-29), and Assemblymen John Wisniewski (D-19), John DiMaio (R-23), Jon Bramnick (R-21), Nelson Albano (D-1) and Matthew Milam (D-1).
 
If you have already sent a letter to your legislators, then please send another one and encourage your family and friends to visit www.UnCorkNJ.com  to do the same. By spreading the word to take action, you've helped us get one step closer to providing New Jersey residents greater freedom regarding the wine selection enjoyed in their homes.
 
Time is short and the need for action is now !!!