MINNEAPOLIS -- Calling it "totally ridiculous," a group in Minnesota is urging consumers to contact their legislators in an effort to overturn a state law banning the retail sale of beer, wine and spirits on Sundays.
It's just one of concurrent several efforts across the country and in Canada aimed at loosening alcohol sale restrictions. Here's a rundown:
- Why not Sundays? That's the rallying cry of the Minnesota group led by the MN Consumers First Alliance, a "broad-based group of enlightened Minnesotans and companies that support pro-consumer policies and competition rather than protecting the liquor industry’s self-interests." The group is taking its fight to the streets with an online petition and social-media campaign. (See video below.) "Legislators have heard from liquor lobby groups. Now it's time for them to hear from Minnesota's consumers," the group's website states.
- In Oklahoma, a Senate panel has passed a measure that would allow liquor stores to sell refrigerated, full-strength beer, according to a report in the Tulsa World. State Sen. Stephanie Bice sees the measure as leveling the playing field because some stores can refrigerate and sell only low-point beer. The Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Stores Association opposes the bill, saying it would take business away from them.
- A proposal before Kansas legislators would permit grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer, wine and liquor starting in July 2018, as previously reported in CSP Daily News. The bill also would permit convenience stores to sell full-strength beer starting in July 2018.
- Facing a severe budget shortfall, Ontario, Canada, is looking for new revenue. That process has raised the prospect a change to the province's "antiquated retail system" that generally limits beer sales to store operated by major brewers, according to a report in the New York Times. The change could open up the province’s $3 billion beer market to other retailers. The province’s Liberal government has promised to introduce major changes to beer sales this spring in its budget.
The above efforts come a month after an Indiana bill to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays was pulled from a legislative vote. House Bill 1624 would have removed Indiana's 80-year-old prohibition on Sunday alcohol sales at drugstores and grocery, convenience and liquor stores.
But the measure got bogged down with an amendment that created new, more stringent restrictions on how retailers other than liquor stores could sell alcohol, according to a report in the Indianapolis Star. The restrictions would have required hard liquor to be kept behind a counter and would have limited beer and wine displays to a designated area of the store.
We can guarantee it won't be the last time the issue is raised.
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