State Senate approves bill giving control over Sunday AM liquor sales to local governments

The state Senate approved a measure this week that would allow local governments to once again prohibit Sunday morning liquor sales. 

The measure would allow local governments to opt out of the Sunday morning liquor law approved by the Legislature late last year. Lawmakers who sponsored the new measure say the opt-out was always supposed to be included in the original package, but was accidentally left out because it was slapped together and approved during hasty lame-duck negotiations. 

Some lawmakers say the voted against the Sunday morning sales because many people in their districts – including church pastors – were worried about the potential effects on church attendance and problem drinking. 

The bill to allow local communities to once-again prohibit Sunday morning sales is now in the state House.