Illinois Senate Bill 618 passed in the House and is on its way to the governor’s office where it is expected to be signed. I covered the Illinois Veto Legislation in a previous post

For the sake of not repeating, I will cover significant legislation and anything that has changed.

 

Cocktails-to-go becomes permanent 

The sunset provision on cocktails-to-go is eliminated! This is personal for me as I started a grassroots effort with Julia Momose and Ian Beacraft to get a CGT law passed and I drafted the original language. It is great that this bill helped retailers survive and they can now count on this privilege not expiring on them.

One important part of this legislation is the requirement that if a cocktail is delivered, the delivery driver must obtain a signature from a person who is over 21. This is treating the delivery of a cocktail akin to the shipment of a wine package.

The legislation takes out a COVID exception for manufacturers and specifically limits the privilege to retailers.

The definition of cocktails under the cocktails-to-go statute is limited by this legislation to exclude cocktails in the original or sealed container that is filled, sealed, or labeled by the manufacturer. No packaged Jack and Coke anymore allowed under the CTG law.

Craft distillers

There was a change in the language from the original bill to the final legislation pertaining to where spirits can be transferred from under a spirits showcase permit. A spirits showcase permit allows a distiller to transfer products from its premises to a special event.

Under the original legislation, a spirits showcase permit allowed an Illinois distributor to transfer a portion of its spirits inventory from its licensed premises to the premises specified in the showcase permit.

Under the enrolled bill, a spirits showcase permit shall allow a class 3 craft distiller to transfer only spirits the class 3 distiller manufacturers from its licensed premises to the premises specified in the showcase permit.

The importance is that a craft distiller can’t move inventory from its wholesaler to a special event and must move its inventory from its own stock.

New requirements for under 21-year-old stings

The legislative language requiring retail stings meet certain criteria was stricken from the bill and did not make the final legislation.

Wine

What is not in the legislation are privileges for Illinois wineries. Illinois wineries sought enhanced self-distribution privileges. Unfortunately, a fierce fight by the Wine and Spirts Wholesalers of Illinois kept this from happening.

Ironically, the Illinois Wholesalers are not distributing and carrying Illinois wines, their portfolios are dominated by California and foreign wines, yet they want to block Illinois wineries from greater market access. Why the legislature allows this is beyond me!