REGULATORY SUCCESSES

A substantial 40 percent increase in Professional Industry Memberships in the last year enabled increased lobbying and counsel support, and our members contributed to our legislative agenda more than ever before, responding to industry surveys and attending meetings to weigh in on crucial topics with the potential to significantly impact the industry. The accompanying results are detailed below.

Here is a more detailed summary:

Surety Bonds (House Bill 2486). The OWA is working with the OLCC on implementation process of a bill that gives the agency discretion to excuse small Oregon wineries from annual surety bonds, which are intended to cover unpaid wine privilege taxes. Under the measure, the OLCC can waive the surety bond requirement for small wineries that haven’t paid the privilege tax and aren’t likely to incur the tax in a particular year, which saves a small winery the cost of the bond.

Viticultural Area Signage.  The OWA secured a commitment from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to amend its rules to create viticultural area signs under the State’s historic and cultural sign program. Our legal counsel has helped formally initiate rulemaking on this matter, with rules to be adopted in Fall 2008.