And you thought we’d reached peak nuttery? Nope.

Today, the House advanced to the Senate a bill that could ban California wine from being imported to Arkansas. That represents about 90 percent of all wine sold in Arkansas, a alcohol lobbyist told the AP. The bill is meant to be explicit retribution for a California law, originally approved by voters, that requires all eggs sold in California to come from hens that are able to extend their wings and turn around freely. You know instead of living their lives without being able to move. The vote was 57-19. Here’s the roll call.

Rep. Dan Douglas (R-Bentonville) is the sponsor. The law would outlaw wine imports from any state that imposes a “substantial burden” on the Arkansas agricultural industry. It’s up to the Secretary of Arkansas agriculture to determine what “substantial burden” means. So if (when) the Senate passes this, it’ll be up to this guy on whether you can drink your favorite California red anymore.

Where does California stop? Douglas asked today (and Benji reported earlier).


“Do they tell us we have to have more square feet per chicken for our broilers? … Or could it be that they determine they don’t want our rice unless our tractors meet their clean air standards? … We have to put a stop to this. We have to show the state of California they cannot force their standards on us.”

“Any state that imposes agricultural standards on us — we do not want their wine,” he said.


The AP reported that Douglas said he didn’t expect the bill to pass, but was curious to see how it would fare. Well, how ’bout that?