Is there still a chance that Maryland can have  a direct wine shipping law passed or will it go down to defeat again this year?

If you visit the Marylanders for Better Beer & Wine Laws website, you will find links to newspaper articles and blogs that highlight the issues of why the Maryland legislature has not passed a law allowing direct wine shipping to consumers. Rather strange is that a good number of state legislators appear to be in favor of direct wine shipping and see the benefits including freedom for consumers to purchase wine and have it sent to their home directly just like televisions, candy, books and flowers. Another benefit is that the Maryland state government, which is having economic difficulties, would obtain more money through licensing fees etc. That is what has happened in other states where direct shipping is allowed.

Unfortunately one name has become associated with the anti-direct shipping laws-Senator Joan Carter Conway. Why is she against Maryland direct wine shipping? Any of the few problems she mentions as to why the state shouldn’t have direct shipping, have been disproved in other states. What is interesting is a recent blog detailing the source of some of Senator Conway’s contributions. The blog March 13, 2010 HoCo Rising Blog: Senator Joan Conway’s Drinking Buddies, details money given to Senator Conway by groups who stand to benefit from not allowing consumers to have direct wine shipping. The blogger was able to detail more than $17,000 worth of contributions from those associated with the Maryland liquor establishment.

In a blog on All We Can Eat, Dave McIntyre, ends his blog with, “The direct shipping legislation remains before the House Economic Matters Committee, and Conway has scheduled a hearing on the issue for March 17. So the issue is not dead for this session, but Boyce (Ed Boyce, co-proprietor of Black Ankle Vineyards) is not optimistic about the bill’s chances. ‘Insiders can block it even though it has the support of most of the Legislature,” he said. ‘That’s not how democracy is supposed to work.’ Maybe someone needs to explain to Senator Conway that this is not how democracy is supposed to work. Represent the people not the special interests with deep pockets.

Learn all you can about how Maryland is denying consumers the right to have wine shipped to their own homes. Write, fax and visit Annapolis and let legislators know they are out of line. Let democracy reign!

Cheers! Kathy