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February 16, 2011

To: RMA Restaurants and Hotels
From: George Peyton, VP Government Relations, VA Retail Federation/Retail Merchants Association
Re: Wine Corkage Fee, SB 1292

The General Laws Sub Committee on ABC will meet Thursday afternoon, February 17 to hear Senator McWaters, SB1292, Wine Corkage Fee legislation.

The bill provides that any restaurant licensed by the ABC Board may permit the consumption of lawfully acquired wine by bona fide customers on the premises in all areas and locations covered by the license. The bill provides that a licensee may charge a corkage fee to such customer for the wine so consumed; however, the licensee may not charge any other fee to such customer.

Our survey of the RMA member restaurants and hotels with ABC license showed that 84% of those responding oppose allowing customers to bring their own wine into the restaurant for consumption.

While speaking with Delegates who serve on the General Laws Committee, it appears there are enough votes to pass the legislation.

Please call or email today each member of the General Laws Committee and forward this email to other restaurant owners/managers and ask them to also call and express their opposition to SB1292, and especially send to restaurant or hotel owners/managers in Virginia Beach and Northern Virginia.  Many Delegates I have spoken to have only heard from those who support the corkage fee.  Your calls can make a difference, please cc me on your emails.

Thanks, George

To obtain the contact information for the Delegate click on their name.

Jones (Chairman), Albo, Wright, Oder, Carrico, Scott, E.T., Iaquinto, Gilbert, Peace, Comstock, Anderson, Greason, Knight, Abbitt, Phillips, Barlow, Ward, Dance, Bulova, James, Carr, Torian

Or for direct email access, click on the links below:

Delegate Oder: DelGOder@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Albo: DelDAlbo@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Gilbert: DelTGilbert@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Comstock: DelBComstock@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Knight: DelBKnight@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Abbitt: DelWAbbitt@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Barlow: DelWBarlow@house.virginia.gov*
Delegate Jones: DelCJones@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Wright: DelTWright@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Scott: DelEScott@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Iaquinto: DelSIaquinto@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Peace: DelCPeace@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Carrico: DelCCarrico@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Anderson: DelRAnderson@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Greason: DelTGreason@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Phillips: DelBPhillips@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Ward: DelJWard@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Dance: DelRDance@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Bulova: DelDBulova@house.virginia.gov
Delegate James: DelMJames@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Carr: DelBCarr@house.virginia.gov
Delegate Torian: DelLTorian@house.virginia.gov

George C. Peyton
Vice President Government Relations
Retail Merchants Association/Virginia Retail Federation
Office phone 804-662-5505
Cell 804-334-2932
gpeyton@retailmerchants.com

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5101 Monument Avenue • Richmond, VA 23230