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February 27, 2008

Organizations, Businesses Needed for Sign-On Letter

We're circulating a sign-on letter in support of HB 1260/SB 616.

If your organization or business would like to join the sign-on letter, we ask that you respond by Wednesday, March 5, so that we can distribute the letter prior to the hearing before the Senate Health, Education, and Environmental Affairs Committee on March 7.

Please send requests to join the sign-on letter to Scott Ehlers. Please include your full contact information as well.

We are also looking for supporting organizations, businesses, and consumers to testify at the hearing before the Senate Health, Education, and Environmental Affairs Committee on March 7, 1pm. Please contact Scott if you are interested in testifying.

Posted by Scott Ehlers at 12:00 AM |

February 20, 2008

Letters Now Needed to Delegates on the Alcoholic Beverages Subcommittee

We just got word that the bill will be heard in the Alcoholic Beverages Subcommittee in the next couple of weeks, which means that members of that subcommittee need to hear from all of you. Please urge them to pass the legislation so that the bill can get its fair hearing in the full House of Delegates. Let the House vote!

The members of the Alcoholic Beverages Subcommittee who need to hear from you and your friends and family are:

Mary Ann Love (Dist. 32, Anne Arundel Co.), Chair (410) 841-3233, (301) 858-3233

Aisha N. Braveboy (Dist. 25, Prince George's Co.)
Richard K. Impallaria (Dist. 7, Baltimore, Harford Cos.),
Sally Y. Jameson (Dist. 28, Charles Co.)
James J. King (Dist. 33A, Anne Arundel Co.)
Carolyn J. Krysiak (Dist. 46, Baltimore City)
James N. Mathias, Jr. (Dist. 38B, Wicomico, Worcester Cos.)
Joseph J. "Sonny" Minnick (Dist. 6, Baltimore Co.)
Donna Stifler (Dist. 35A, Harford Co.)

Here's some language you can use in your emails. Please personalize as much as possible:

Dear Del xxxx:

Please pass HB 1260, the Direct Wine Shipper's License bill. This legislation has been endorsed by The Baltimore Sun, as well as organizations like the Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws, the Maryland Wineries Association, the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, and Wine America. It is supported by thousands of Maryland citizens as well.

The bill will allow Maryland wineries, out-of-state wineries, and retailers to mail fine wines directly to consumers in Maryland. Adults in 35 states, including our neighbors in Virginia and West Virginia, and in the District of Columbia, currently enjoy this convenience and so should adults in Maryland. The bill is great for Maryland wineries and consumers and should add some additional revenue to the state budget as well.

Thanks for considering my request that you pass HB 1260, the wine direct shipping bill. I look forward to hearing your views on this issue.

Best,

Name
Address

Posted by Scott Ehlers at 11:51 PM |

Great Media Coverage of the Hearing on HB 1260 -- Write a Letter-to-the-Editor Today!

If you haven't seen the media coverage of the hearings, I encourage you to check it out, write a letter-to-the editor, comment on the newspaper's website, and send the articles on to your friends and family. Also, encourage the editorial board of your local paper to endorse HB 1260, the direct wine shipping bill.

Today the direct shipping legislation was endorsed by the Baltimore Sun ("Special Delivery," Feb. 20, 2008).

Yesterday we received coverage in:

The Washington Post ("Bill Allows Shipment of Wine To, From State," p. B6) and
The Baltimore Sun ("Wine Shipping Bill Gets House Hearing").

We also got covered by ABC-2 (WMAR) in Baltimore and the DCist blog.

Yesterday I was also on WBAL's Shari Elliker Show for over a half-an-hour to discuss the direct shipping legislation and why grocery stores in Maryland can't sell beer and wine.

Posted by Scott Ehlers at 11:37 PM |

February 12, 2008

Hearing on Direct Shipping Bill (HB 1260) Scheduled for Monday, Feb. 18, 1pm

Let's Pack the Hearing Room!

A hearing has been scheduled for the House version of the wine direct shipping bill, HB 1260. The House Economic Matters Committee (House Office Building, Room 231) will begin the hearing on Monday, February 18, at 1pm. Please note that this is President's Day, so many constituents will have the day off to come up to the legislature to show their support for the bill.

Testimony, Supporters Needed to Pack the Hearing

This committee is hostile to our efforts and we need as many people as possible to pack the hearing room. We need consumers to testify or just be in the audience showing their support. If your delegate is on this committee, or if you know anyone whose delegate is on this committee, please write them today in support of HB 1260.

You can find out who your elected officials are here.

The easiest way to contact your delegates is through the Free the Grapes! website.

The members of the House Economic Matters Committee are:

* Dereck Davis (Dist. 25) -- Chair
* David Rudolph (Dist. 34B) -- Vice-Chair
* Aisha Braveboy (Dist. 25)
* Emmett Burns, Jr. (Dist. 10)
* Brian Feldman (Dist. 15)
* Jeannie Haddaway (Dist. 37B; co-sponsor)
* Hattie Harrison (Dist. 45)
* C. Sue Hecht (Dist. 3A)
* Richard Impallaria (Dist. 7)
* Sally Jameson (Dist. 28)
* James King (Dist. 33A)
* Ruth Kirk (Dist. 44)
* Carolyn Krysiak (Dist. 46)
* Mary Ann Love (Dist. 32)
* Roger Manno (Dist. 19)
* James Mathias, Jr. (Dist. 38B)
* Brian McHale (Dist. 46)
* Warren Miller (Dist. 9A)
* Joseph "Sonny" Minnick (Dist. 6)
* Donna Stifler (Dist. 35A)
* Herman Taylor, Jr. (Dist. 14; co-sponsor)
* Michael Vaughn (Dist. 24)
* Mary Roe Walkup (Dist. 36)

A factsheet on the bill is here.

If you are interested in testifying at the hearing, please email me with the subject of the email, "Testify."

More details on events scheduled around the hearing will follow in the coming days.

Posted by Scott Ehlers at 04:56 PM |