Sunday liquor sales supporters hedge their bets
Supporters of Sunday liquor sales in Minnesota are now taking a multiple-bill approach to trying to modify the longtime prohibition.
Sen. Roger Reinert, DFL- Duluth and Rep. Jenifer Loon, R-Eden Prairie, will hold a state Capitol news conference today to unveil a bipartisan package of options. Reinert said the bills include a full repeal, local options and narrow measures to allow growler sales and tap room sales.
Lawmakers have tried multiple times to pass a blanket repeal of the current ban, without success.
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Reinert said he views Sunday liquor sales as a “basic market issue” that a majority of people support.
“Up till now we’ve had just a full repeal. The point of the press conference is to say to legislators, ‘given all of the engagement by citizens, given the approval ratings that show anywhere from 60 to 70 percent, can we really not do anything?’"
Reinert said he’s received more e-mail in support of Sunday liquor sales this year that he ever received on any issue.
He said he has not yet requested committee hearings for any of his bills.