Connecticut House Bill HB05361

Connecticut 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/25
• Refer: 1/16/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 3/12/25
• Refer: 3/21/25
• Report Pass: 3/27/25

Caption

An Act Concerning The Source Of The Fruit Used By Farm Winery Permittees To Manufacture Wine.

Summary

HB 5361 would revise Connecticut’s farm winery permit rules, primarily by changing the minimum share of fruit that a farm winery must grow itself or source from controlled property for use in its wine production. The bill lowers that requirement from 25% to 20% of the fruit used in manufacturing the winery’s wine, while keeping the existing framework that allows the Commissioner of Consumer Protection to excuse the requirement in years when a permittee suffers a significant crop loss through no fault of its own. The bill also preserves and restates the operating authority of farm wineries to manufacture and sell wine and certain brandies, including on-premises sales, tastings, direct-to-consumer shipping, farmers’ market sales, and limited additional retail outlets with approval. It continues existing consumer-protection conditions for direct shipping, such as age verification, shipping limits, tax reporting, and restrictions on shipping to local-option dry areas. The measure takes effect July 1, 2025, and amends Connecticut General Statutes section 30-16(c).

Impact

The bill would directly amend the state’s alcoholic beverage licensing laws governing farm winery manufacturer permits. Its main legal effect is to reduce the in-state fruit production threshold for farm wineries, making it somewhat easier for permit holders to qualify and operate under the farm winery category. It would also leave intact the Department of Consumer Protection’s oversight of permits, direct shipping, farmers’ market sales, and approval of additional retail outlets, while continuing tax and reporting obligations to the Department of Revenue Services and consumer-protection safeguards for alcohol delivery and sales.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition. The General Law Committee first voted to draft the bill and later reported it favorably by a unanimous 22-0 vote. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded debate in the materials, but the unanimous committee vote indicates the bill was viewed positively by members.

Contention

The only clear policy issue reflected in the text is the reduction of the fruit-sourcing threshold from 25% to 20%, which may be seen as a relaxation of the traditional farm winery standard. Supporters would likely view this as helping wineries manage supply variability and crop risk, while critics could argue it weakens the “farm” component of the farm winery designation by allowing more outside fruit to be used. The bill also preserves commissioner discretion over crop-loss exceptions, but no specific opposition to that provision appears in the available record.