Legislators to make another attempt at legalizing Sunday carry-out sales

INDIANAPOLIS (WANE) - Previous attempts to legalize the sale of carry-out liquor on Sundays and the sale of cold beer at grocery stores and convenience stores in Indiana have failed.  Two legislators hope a different strategy in 2012 brings a different result.

On Wednesday, a group called the Alliance of Responsible Alcohol Retailers (ARAR) announced it would support legislation to be introduced by State Senator Phil Boots (R-Crawfordsville) and State Representative Cindy Noe (R-Indianapolis) that would allow for Sunday sales and for the sale of cold beer at convenience and grocery stores, so long as the beer is brewed in Indiana.  Previous legislation did not stipulate that the beer had to be brewed in Indiana.

Currently you can drink alcoholic beverages at a bar or restaurant on Sunday but carry-out sales are prohibited.  The only exception is for micro-breweries which can sell carry-out beer.

The Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, (IABR) which represents liquor store owners has opposed the efforts because it would force stores to open on Sunday and would allow for what they claim would be unfair competition from grocery stores and convenience stores.

According to ARAR, Indiana is currently one of only 13 states that prohibit the carry-out sale of alcohol on Sundays and Indiana loses approximately $9 million in tax revenues annually to border states that do allow for by banning Sunday sales.

"There is nothing new about today’s announcement,” said John Livengood, IABR president and CEO. “This legislative initiative by the big box chain stores and gas stations delivered during the holidays is like re-gifting a four-year-old fruitcake; it’s something that’s been around for years and nobody wants it. The legislature has looked at and rejected similar initiatives in the past, and it’s a path down which no one wants to go. This is the ‘same old, same old. ’”