West Virginia Code
Article 8. Sale of Wines
§60-8-23. Duties and Powers of Commissioner; Rules

(a) The commissioner is authorized:
(1) To enforce the provisions of this article.
(2) To enter the premises of any licensee at reasonable times for the purpose of inspecting the premises and determining the compliance of the licensee with the provisions of this article and any rules promulgated by the commissioner.
(3) In addition to rules relating to the tax imposed by 60-8-4 of this code or otherwise authorized by this article, to promulgate reasonable rules as he or she deems necessary for the execution and enforcement of the provisions of this article, which may include, but shall not be limited to:
(A) The transport, use, handling, service and sale of wine;
(B) Establishing standards of identity, quality and purity to protect the public against wine containing deleterious, harmful or impure substances or elements and against spurious or imitation wines and wines unfit for human consumption; and
(C) Restricting the content of wine advertising so as to prohibit false or misleading claims, or depictions or descriptions of wine being consumed irresponsibly or immoderately, or advertising presentations designed to appeal to persons below the legal drinking age: Provided, That the commissioner shall not promulgate any rule which prohibits the advertising of a particular brand or brands of wine and the price thereof, or which prohibits or restricts the advertising medium used: Provided, however, That price shall not be advertised in a medium of electronic communication subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission.
(4) To issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum for the purpose of conducting hearings under the provisions of 60-8-12 of this code, which subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum shall be issued in the time, for the fees, and shall be enforced in the manner specified in 29A-5-1 of this code with like effect as if said section was set forth in extenso in this subdivision.
(b) The authority granted in this subsection and subsections (a) and (d) of this section may also be exercised by the duly authorized or designated agents of the commissioner.
(c) Except as may be in this article to the contrary, the commissioner shall not have authority by rule or otherwise to regulate markups, prices, discounts, allowances or other terms of sale at which wine may be purchased or sold by wine distributors or licensees authorized to sell wine at retail but nothing herein shall be deemed to authorize or permit any discriminatory practice prohibited by 60-8-31(a), of this code or any other discriminatory practice.
(d) All rules promulgated by the commissioner pursuant to this article shall be so promulgated in accordance with the provisions of chapter 29A of this code. The rules promulgated pursuant to the prior enactment of this article and not disapproved by the Legislature shall remain in full force and effect to the extent that such rules are not abrogated and made null and void by the reenactment of the sections of this article during the regular session of the Legislature for 1986. Any rule which is inconsistent or contrary in any way to any provision of this article now or hereafter enacted are null and void.

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