House Bill No. by Representative Orgeron amends R.S. 26:351 to establish standards for shipping containers for wines and distilled spirits in Louisiana. The bill stipulates that all distilled spirits and wines sold or shipped into the state must conform to the standards of fill authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. It also specifies that the state cannot impose additional limitations on container sizes or the number of containers per shipping case, except as explicitly provided in the bill. The commissioner is granted the authority to adopt rules for tax administration, public safety, or enforcement, provided these do not conflict with federal standards.

The bill retains existing provisions regarding vintage wines, defined as wines bottled prior to December 31, 1978, allowing them to be shipped in containers not smaller than 187 milliliters, given that proper documentation is provided. Additionally, the bill maintains the exemptions for sake and cider products from container size restrictions and reaffirms the prohibition on the sale or shipment of powdered alcohol in Louisiana. Overall, the proposed law aims to streamline and align state regulations with federal standards while preserving certain existing provisions.

Statutes affected:
HB805 Original: