Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 135 - Dealership practices.
135.066 - Intoxicating liquor dealerships.

135.066 Intoxicating liquor dealerships.
(1) Legislative findings. The legislature finds that a balanced and healthy 3-tier system for distributing intoxicating liquor is in the best interest of this state and its citizens; that the 3-tier system for distributing intoxicating liquor has existed since the 1930's; that a balanced and healthy 3-tier system ensures a level system between the manufacturer and wholesale tiers; that a wholesale tier consisting of numerous healthy competitors is necessary for a balanced and healthy 3-tier system; that the number of intoxicating liquor wholesalers in this state is in significant decline; that this decline threatens the health and stability of the wholesale tier; that the regulation of all intoxicating liquor dealerships, regardless of when they were entered into, is necessary to promote and maintain a wholesale tier consisting of numerous healthy competitors; and that the maintenance and promotion of the 3-tier system will promote the public health, safety and welfare. The legislature further finds that a stable and healthy wholesale tier provides an efficient and effective means for tax collection. The legislature further finds that dealerships between intoxicating liquor wholesalers and manufacturers have been subject to state regulation since the enactment of the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and that the parties to those dealerships expect changes to state legislation regarding those dealerships.
(2) Definition. “Intoxicating liquor" has the meaning given in s. 125.02 (8) minus wine.
(5) Nonapplicability. This section does not apply to any of the following dealerships:
(a) Dealerships in which a grantor, including any affiliate, division or subsidiary of the grantor, has never produced more than 200,000 gallons of intoxicating liquor in any year.
(b) Dealerships in which the dealer's net revenues from the sale of all of the grantor's brands of intoxicating liquor constitute less than 5 percent of the dealer's total net revenues from the sale of intoxicating liquor during the dealer's most recent fiscal year preceding a grantor's cancellation or alteration of a dealership.
(6) Severability. The provisions of this section are severable as provided in s. 990.001 (11).
History: 1999 a. 9; 2021 a. 238 ss. 44, 45.
A wine grantor-dealer relationship is not included within the definition of a dealership in s. 135.02 (3) (b). Sub. (2) provides the operative definition of intoxicating liquor for purposes of this chapter, and that definition explicitly excludes wine. Winebow, Inc. v. Capitol-Husting Co., Inc., 2018 WI 60, 381 Wis. 2d 732, 914 N.W.2d 631, 17-1595.

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