Florida bill removes wine container capacity limit

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. – Rep. Chip LaMarca, R-Lighthouse Point, filed a bill that would remove Florida’s limit on the maximum volume of any wine container sold to consumers.

“The state of Florida is all about freedom these days, and we shouldn’t have a prohibition and something so ridiculous,” LaMarca told Florida’s Voice. “People want these wine bottles for big events such as weddings and other momentous celebrations.”

Under Florida law, wine selling of more than one gallon in an individual container is banned with some exceptions. State law does permit, however, “qualified distributors and manufactures” to sell wine to others of the same title in any size bottle.

Through HB 583, individual glass containers would be allowed of any size or through an already approved reusable bottle holding 5.16 gallons. The law currently includes a provision, statute 564.09, declaring wine sold off premises by a licensed vendor must be in an unopened original container.

LaMarca called the change “meaningful criminal justice reform.”

“The criminal penalty for selling oversized wine containers, currently a second-degree misdemeanor, comes with fines and even potential jail time,” LaMarca said.

He also declared the legislation as “environmentally conscious.”

“Finally, it would also cut down on the waste of using multiple bottles for large events when one large bottle would work, so it’s also environmentally conscious legislation,” LaMarca said.

House District 100, represented by LaMarca, covers coastline portions of Broward County. The area includes Deerfield Beach to parts of Fort Lauderdale.

“The time is ripe to repeal this unnecessary burden on Florida consumers,” LaMarca said. “Let’s free the grapes.”

If passed, the law would take effect July 1, 2024.