INDIANAPOLIS — After several unsuccessful attempts in the past, lawmakers are once again hearing a bill allowing Sunday alcohol sales, which proponents call convenient and opponents call dangerous.
House Bill 1399, authored by Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, was heard by the House Public Policy Committee on Wednesday. The bill is the latest effort by lawmakers to allow Hoosiers to buy alcohol on Sunday at stores. Dermody proposed a similar bill last year but it never got to a full House vote.
This year's bill is similar, but has some changes, the biggest being that hard liquor would be allowed to stay on shelves instead of behind a counter in a grocery store.
Despite the clear battle lines between liquor stores, who oppose the bill, and grocery stores, who favor it, Dermody said his legislation isn't a compromise.
"We're just trying to allow Hoosiers to do seven days a week what they currently do six days a week," Dermody said.
Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, is a co-author on the bill. She said it doesn't make any sense for Indiana to ban the purchase of alcohol at stores when you can go out and drink at a bar or restaurant. She said Indiana is the only state in the nation that allows drinking at a bar, restaurant or sporting event but bans buying alcohol while shopping on Sundays.
But there would be some changes to how grocery stores sell alcohol if the bill is passed.
Alcohol displays would be banned in certain areas of the store usually frequented by children, such as near candy or cereal. Most of the alcohol would have to be contained to a single, clearly defined aisle. The bill would also require clerks selling alcohol at grocery or drug stores to go through alcohol server training — the same training required of liquor store employees.
Spokespeople for grocery stores and alcohol distributors overwhelmingly support HB 1399 because it would be an extra day of sales for them.
John Elliot, from Kroger, said Sunday is their second busiest day of the week.
"We're simply asking to sell something we sell safely and responsibly for six days a week on the seventh day," he said.
Liquor store officials oppose the bill, saying the sale of alcohol needs to be closely regulated, which they claim the bill doesn't take into account.
Patrick Tamm, president and CEO of the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, said alcohol is dangerous and allowing more opportunities for people to purchase it is irresponsible. Tamm said liquor stores are more closely regulated because they offer alcohol exclusively and that regulation should be extended to the big box stores as well. He said HB 1399 would be devastating to liquor stores in Indiana.
Dermody disputed those claims, saying liquor stores could benefit from being open an extra day, adding that Indiana is losing money when people go to another state to buy alcohol and do their grocery shopping. Dermody said that's common in his home town, which is a 25-minute drive from Michigan.
"When you vote for this, don't vote for the liquor stores or the big box stores," Dermody said. "Place your vote for Hoosiers."
The bill will be voted on by the public policy committee next week.
Dermody said some tweaks will be added to the bill, including prohibiting the sale of alcohol at self-checkout lanes.