As the year passes the halfway point and some states wrap up their sessions, we’re closely tracking a busy policy landscape for alcohol and hemp beverages nationwide. In partnership with members and state wholesaler associations, we’re monitoring emerging proposals, assessing potential impacts on wholesalers and the three-tier system, and weighing in where needed to help shape balanced, enforceable policy outcomes.
To date, state legislatures around the country have introduced 938 alcohol and/or hemp beverage bills in 2026.
Alcohol Shipping
While 2026 saw a decrease in the number of alcohol shipping bills introduced, it also marked another year in which no shipping bills were enacted. Six states (Hawaii, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, South Dakota) introduced spirits direct-to-consumer (DTC) bills, a decrease from previous sessions. In Missouri, WSWA testified against spirits shipping legislation, pointing to regulators’ data on enforcement challenges with existing shipping privileges as relevant context for lawmakers considering any expansion, the bill ultimately failed.
As most states now permit wine DTC, legislative efforts have shifted towards expanding that existing privilege. Three states (Missouri, New Hampshire, and New Jersey) introduced bills to increase wine shipping limits per consumer; only New Jersey’s remains pending, with no action since January. New York also introduced wine retailer shipping legislation, which has likewise seen no action since January.
No standalone common carrier reporting bills were introduced this year, though a Massachusetts bill carried over from last year remains pending. Shipping bills that did not advance this year in Iowa and South Dakota would have included carrier reporting requirements, while a similarly stalled bill in Oklahoma would have prohibited out-of-state retail alcohol shipments. WSWA remains a strong supporter of carrier reporting to help regulators identify unlicensed and illegal shipments.
Manufacturer Sales
This year there was an increased focus on new sales privileges for producers, with increases across all manufacturer sales categories following a dip in 2025:
- 26 on-site sales bills in 10 states
- 9 self-distribution bills in seven states
- 13 satellite location bills in eight states
Five bills were enacted: New Jersey and Virginia authorized certain producers to sell their own products for on-premise consumption, while New Hampshire allowed wineries to self-distribute their own products to other wineries. Colorado now allows distillers to operate up to two sales rooms, and Oklahoma expanded distiller satellite privileges from one additional same-county location to two additional locations statewide.
Ready-To-Drink (RTD)
Ready-to-drink legislation decreased again this year, with no enactments in the category so far in 2026. The most common subject of RTD bills dealt with tax rate changes for the products, with several states also considering the creation of a new product category for these beverages.
Delivery and To-Go
Consistent with the trend since the pandemic, delivery and to-go bills introductions continue to decline year-over-year, as most states now have some form of this e-commerce option in place. Twelve delivery bills were introduced across six states, with one enacted – New Hampshire now permits on-premise licensees to deliver liquor alongside a food order. Seven to-go bills were introduced across four states, with Delaware enacting a law allowing on-premise licensees to sell one bottle of a private-label spirit for off-premise consumption.
Intoxicating Hemp
Likely influenced by the pending federal hemp ban, hemp beverage legislation saw a sharp decrease – nearly 60 fewer introductions and about a dozen fewer enactments compared to last year. Illinois, Missouri, New Hampshire and New Jersey passed language directing these beverages into dispensary channels if the federal ban takes effect, while Connecticut and Minnesota amended existing hemp beverage laws to allow for increased milligram caps or larger serving sizes. Massachusetts also passed legislation establishing a study on regulatory approaches for these beverages.
If you have any questions on state legislation, please do not hesitate to reach out to the WSWA state affairs team Dawson.Hobbs@wswa.org or Colin.Phillips@wswa.org.
For information on state alcohol law requirements, please refer to the WSWA state law database, available at www.statealcohollaw,com.