Sunday alcohol sales bill gets a hearing

WISH TV

Jim Shella

Updated: Feb 1, 2013 6:28 PM

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — If your Super Bowl Party runs out of beer you won't be able to go to the store for more.  Indiana prohibits liquors sales on Sunday but that could soon change.

Indiana is now the only state in the country that bans liquor sales on Sunday and for the first time in a regular session of the General Assembly a bill to permit Sunday sales will get a hearing next Wednesday.

There have been behind-the-scenes battles over Sunday sales for years and a few years back a legislative study committee turned down the idea.  But supporters of Sunday sales have gained traction and legislative leaders say it's time to bring the debate out into the open. 

"We're sent here by the people to make decisions on difficult issues," said House Minority Leader Scott Pelath, "and they can't always stay bottled up all the time."

"Most Hoosiers are smart enough, if they want beer or wine on Sunday, to purchase it on Saturday," said GOP House Speaker Brian Bosma.  "Apparently that's not the case for everyone and that's ok."

The Sunday sales debate is really a battle between the mom and pop liquor stores who want to remain closed on Sundays and the big box stores that never do. 

It has much more to do with winners and losers than it does with questions of safety or morality, and that will all come out next Wednesday.

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