Sec. 301.

(1) The commission shall levy and collect on all wines containing 16% or less of alcohol by volume sold in this state a tax at the rate of 13.5 cents per liter if sold in bulk and in a like ratio if sold in smaller quantities.

(2) The commission shall levy and collect on all wines containing more than 16% of alcohol by volume sold in this state a tax at the rate of 20 cents per liter if sold in bulk and in a like ratio if sold in smaller quantities.

(3) All sacramental wines are nontaxable when used by churches. Sacramental wines may be imported. The commission shall not impose restrictions on importations of wine for sacramental purposes but may promulgate rules to prevent any abuses that result from the importations. A wholesaler or an outstate seller of wine may sell sacramental wine directly to a church for sacramental purposes.

(4) The commission shall levy and collect on all mixed spirit drink sold in this state a tax at the rate of 48 cents per liter if sold in bulk or a like ratio if sold in smaller quantities.

(5) Beginning on and after February 1, 2015, if the wine is manufactured in this state the tax shall be paid by the wine maker who manufactured the wine or if the wine is manufactured outside this state the tax shall be paid by the wholesaler assigned to distribute that wine.

(6) Beginning on and after February 1, 2015, if the mixed spirit drink is manufactured in this state the tax shall be paid by the manufacturer of the mixed spirit drink or if the mixed spirit drink is manufactured outside this state the tax shall be paid by the wholesaler assigned to distribute that mixed spirit drink.

(7) On approval by the commission, the department of licensing and regulatory affairs shall incorporate a limited number of farm mutual cooperative wineries as the commission determines to be beneficial to the Michigan grape and fruit industry. These wineries shall be licensed under this act and the payment of 1 license fee annually by the corporation shall authorize wine making on the premises of the corporation and also on the premises of the grape and fruit growing farmers who are members of or stockholders in the corporation. Upon incorporation of a farmers' cooperative corporation as provided for in this section, the members of or the stockholders in the corporation shall be certified to be Michigan grape and fruit growing farmers. Wine making by cooperative corporations on farm premises is allowed, but all sales of the wine shall be made by the corporation and from the corporation premises.

(8) A wine maker or manufacturer of a mixed spirit drink may designate a wholesaler to pay the tax on behalf of the wine maker or manufacturer, respectively. If a wine maker or manufacturer designates a wholesaler to pay the tax on its behalf, that wine maker or manufacturer shall notify the commission of the designation and provide the commission with a copy of its report of wine premises operations that it filed with the alcohol and tobacco tax and trade bureau of the United States department of treasury for each calendar year. A wholesaler that is responsible for the payment of the tax under this section or that is designated to pay the tax under this section on behalf of the wine maker or manufacturer of the mixed spirit drink is only required to pay the tax on the number of liters actually sold by the wholesaler to licensed retailers.

(9) The commission shall establish by rule a method for the collection of the tax levied in this section and reporting requirements for wholesalers, wine makers, outstate sellers of mixed spirit drink, and outstate sellers of wine to verify the remission of taxes to this state. The commission shall not require that the tax be paid in less than monthly intervals. The rules shall be promulgated pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.

History: 1998, Act 58, Imd. Eff. Apr. 14, 1998 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 49, Imd. Eff. Mar. 25, 2014 Admin Rule: R 436.1001 et seq.; R 436.1701 et seq.; and R 436.1801 et seq. of the Michigan Administrative Code.