Another stab at liquor law reform

[AquaMan]

THEY WERE TAKIN' ER JIBS....NOW THEY'RE TAKIN ER BEEEER!!

Those ads are like SNL skits. I hope sales suffer.

[Conan71]

Breaking:

Oklahoma liquor store owners start push for state question on alcohol laws

Frustrated with other modernization efforts, an industry group representing Oklahoma liquor store owners has launched its own push to get a state question on the November ballot to change the state's alcohol laws.

The Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association filed documents with the Oklahoma Secretary of State on Tuesday for a ballot measure to get beer and wine in grocery stores.

The Retail Liquor Association's proposed State Question 785 would allow cold, full-strength beer in grocery and convenience stores. The proposal would also allow for grocery stores to obtain wine licenses.

"If it survives challenges from the grocery stores, convenience stores, Walmart and any other group who does not feel it adds to their profit enough, we will gather the necessary signatures to put it on the ballot in November for a vote of the people," the Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association said in a statement.   

Under proposed State Question 785, Oklahoma breweries would gain the ability to distribute their products directly to Oklahoma liquor stores. Brewers in the state also could serve and sell their product at their breweries, regardless of alcohol by volume.

Liquor stores also would be able to hold tastings inside their stores, as well as sell any items sold in a grocery store, with a few restrictions.

Licensing fees from businesses that sell alcohol would go to state efforts to reduce alcohol-related injuries and deaths in Oklahoma.

State Question 785 also would require a distance of at least 2,500 feet between two outlets that sell spirits or wine, but existing stores would be grandfathered in under the proposal.

The liquor store owners' proposed state question would leave laws on the days and hours of operation for retail package stores up to the Legislature to work out. However, the proposal would ban the sale of spirits on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"We wanted to show Oklahomans that we are interested in evolving our liquor laws sensibly; without sacrificing public safety or the vibrant locally owned system that many people enjoy and support," the Retail Liquor Association said in a statement announcing the initiative petition effort.

There are multiple efforts now underway to get a statewide vote in November on modernizing Oklahoma's alcohol laws, and voters could have to wade through several state questions on the issue if they all make it on the ballot. 

Senate Joint Resolution 68, principally authored by Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, is the legislative effort underway to get a state question on the ballot that would include wine and strong beer in groceries and convenience stores. 

The group Oklahomans for Modern Laws has also launched an initiative petition effort to get State Question 783 on the ballot, that would also allow for wine and strong beer in grocery and convenience stores.

The Retail Liquor Association has said both Jolley's and Oklahomans for Modern Law's proposals are heavily slanted in favor of grocery and convenience store owners and would put about half of the state's liquor stores out of business.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-liquor-store-owners-start-push-for-state-question-on-alcohol-laws/article/5480912

[Townsend]

Liquor store owners, distributors fight proposed Oklahoma ballot question

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/elections/liquor-store-owners-distributors-fight-proposed-oklahoma-ballot-question/article_a83a3387-eae6-567a-a065-57be454cd6c6.html

Oklahoma liquor store owners and a group representing two of the state's largest liquor distributors have filed legal challenges to a proposed state question on whether sales of wine and full-strength beer should be allowed in grocery and convenience stores.

The Oklahoma Retail Liquor Association, which represents package store owners in the state, filed a challenge with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Friday to Oklahomans for Modern Laws' proposed state question.

The liquor store owners group argues in its challenge that the proposed state question violates a state constitutional ban against including more than one subject in a single ballot measure, also known as the single-subject rule.

Oklahomans for Modern Laws' proposed State Question 783 would ask voters to allow sales of regular-strength beer capped at 8.99 percent alcohol by volume in grocery and convenience stores.

[Conan71]

Liquor store owners, distributors fight proposed Oklahoma ballot question

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/elections/liquor-store-owners-distributors-fight-proposed-oklahoma-ballot-question/article_a83a3387-eae6-567a-a065-57be454cd6c6.html

I think the ORLA's proposed legislation carries a lot of promise.  If they will get on board, I think we are really close to getting better liquor laws.

[Townsend]

I think the ORLA's proposed legislation carries a lot of promise.  If they will get on board, I think we are really close to getting better liquor laws.

I'm not even crossing my fingers

[Hoss]

I am relieved to hear that!  I have always thought much better of you than AB-InBev...

Hoss, you too!  Can't say about Shock Top - will have to try it just so I will know...



Now, after having blasted AB as the swill that it is - I really do enjoy the commercials, so I guess it is good there are 'bottom-drinkers' who do drink it so they will continue advertising!

I started drinking ShockTop before they were bought out by ABInbev.  That was like me saying I'd never do business with AT&T again, although my cell service is through AT&T.  But only because it started out as Cingular and you know what happened after that.

[Conan71]

I'm not even crossing my fingers

Rural areas will be the problem, just like pari-mutuel gambling and liquor by the drink were until they finally passed in the 1980's but I think it had to go to a county-by-county vote to make it happen.

I believe there are still 20-25 dry counties in Oklahoma.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Rural areas will be the problem, just like pari-mutuel gambling and liquor by the drink were until they finally passed in the 1980's but I think it had to go to a county-by-county vote to make it happen.

I believe there are still 20-25 dry counties in Oklahoma.

IIRC Liquor By the Drink had to get voted on twice, first at the state level to make it a county option vote, and then came the counties voting for it. I made a statement that when the counties passed it, they would be along either side of the interstates, and counties with military bases, and every where else would be dry.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I started drinking ShockTop before they were bought out by ABInbev.  That was like me saying I'd never do business with AT&T again, although my cell service is through AT&T.  But only because it started out as Cingular and you know what happened after that.

We were with Cingular/ATT for 28 years.  SWMBO is a SWB alumni.  Now we have Verizon....for so many reasons!  Crappy service along with the hose job they are doint to retirees!

[patric]

Senate Joint Resolution 68 would allow voters to amend the state constitution to allow for grocery and convenience stores to sell wine and strong, cold beer. The measure passed by a vote of 28-16 and heads to the House for consideration.

Anheuser-Busch dropped its opposition to the bill after a section affecting its business model was altered. Eric James, director of sales and marketing for Anheuser-Busch Sales of Oklahoma, said the objectionable provision would have made the company sell its beer distributorships in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.


http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/capitol_report/senate-passes-measure-to-modernize-oklahoma-s-alcohol-laws/article_220d2889-00aa-5dc4-90dc-b58b9b48af97.html

[Townsend]

Legislative Tit-for-Tat May Kill Liquor Modernization Bill

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/legislative-tit-tat-may-kill-liquor-modernization-bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A bill that would allow beer and wine to be sold in grocery and convenience stores is coming down to the wire in the Oklahoma House.

The Oklahoman reports that the Senate-passed measure to put the issue on the November ballot was scheduled to come up in the House Rules Committee last week, but it got pulled from the agenda. The panel is scheduled to meet again Wednesday, just two days before the deadline for such bills to advance.

Oklahoma Senate passed the bill with a 28-16 vote. It's not clear why it hasn't been taken up in the committee yet, but bitterness between the two chambers has been known to slow down proposals.

Last week, House leaders complained that the Senate didn't take up a House-passed bill on education standards.

[davideinstein]

Rural areas will be the problem, just like pari-mutuel gambling and liquor by the drink were until they finally passed in the 1980's but I think it had to go to a county-by-county vote to make it happen.

I believe there are still 20-25 dry counties in Oklahoma.

That's why only local and federal laws should matter.

[cannon_fodder]

As of 2013

http://newsok.com/article/3918950

[Conan71]

Legislative Tit-for-Tat May Kill Liquor Modernization Bill

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/legislative-tit-tat-may-kill-liquor-modernization-bill

Rumors of its demise were grossly exaggerated:

OK House panel clears beer, wine bill

Oklahomans moved one step closer to being able to buy wine and cold, full-strength beer in supermarkets and convenience stores _ like most other states _ under a Senate-passed resolution that cleared a state House committee on Wednesday.

The measure, which now goes to the full House, would ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment to allow the change from the current situation, where only low-point beer may be sold at these retail outlets and consumers must go to liquor stores to get standard beer and wine.

The resolution also specifies that liquor stores for the first time could refrigerate beer and also sell non-alcohol items.

A separate citizens-backed initiative process is underway to bring the issue to a vote if the Legislature does not refer it to the ballot.

Discussion in committee centered on whether it was fair to distributors and wholesalers and the lack of specification on the allowable age for those who would sell the beer and wine.

Backers of the bill said it was fair and that there will be follow-up legislation to specify that those selling beer and wine in retail outlets would need to be at least 18 years old.

http://newsok.com/ok-house-panel-clears-beer-wine-bill/article/5489972

[Townsend]

Rumors of its demise were grossly exaggerated:

http://newsok.com/ok-house-panel-clears-beer-wine-bill/article/5489972

As all things Oklahoma, I have little trust in anything positive moving forward to reality.

I'm going to guess this will be placed on the November ballot with the largest possible turn-out.  The result - voted down by our stark-raving mad Cruz/Trump-ers.