Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law enabling the sale of wine in larger containers in Florida, garnering bipartisan support.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation on Thursday that allows the sale of wine in larger containers in Florida, amending the state’s alcohol regulations.
The measure, broadly supported across both parties and receiving just one dissenting vote across both legislative chambers, provides an exception to the limitations on the size of individual wine containers by allowing the sale of wine in a glass container holding 4.5 liters, 6 liters, 9 liters, 12 liters, or 15 liters.
“In Florida, we are always looking for ways to reduce regulation and improve our residents’ quality of life,” said DeSantis during a Thursday press conference commemorating the bill’s signing. “If Floridians can purchase a large bottle of wine online from another state, they should be able to buy one from their local wine or grocery store.”
Under state law that is now superseded, individuals in Florida were prohibited from purchasing any wine in a container larger than one gallon.
“This legislation has been a priority for me over the past five years, because I never saw it as good public policy to criminalize the sale of wine based on the container size in the free state of Florida,” said Rep. Chip LaMarca. “It is now time to FREE THE GRAPES!”
The legislation is not the only wine-based legal matter the state has dealt with as of late. In August, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld a decision preventing Florida from enforcing certain laws that restricted out-of-state wine vendors from directly shipping products to consumers in Florida.
The ruling originated from a legal challenge against Florida’s regulatory framework, which was found to discriminate against out-of-state wineries, violating the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.