The House voted 157-31 with bipartisan support to pass a bill giving thousands of holders of takeout beer licenses the ability to sell up to four bottles of wine to a customer.
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A long-sought compromise on the issue of liquor law reform in Pennsylvania, reached Tuesday in Harrisburg, would bring wine sales to the state’s grocery stores, according to a report.
The measure is estimated to generate about $150 million in new state revenue.
The parties have been at odds in recent years over modernizing the state system, which allows both wine and liquor to only be sold out of state-run stores, and privatizing sales.
The House Rules Committee voted overwhelmingly to position the bill for a floor vote, and Republicans who control the chamber said they expected it to be on the desk of Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf within hours.
It wouldn’t affect sales of hard liquor.
The House and Senate passed a bill a year ago that would have phased out the state store system, with Wine and Spirits stores closing as private stores selling wine and liquor opened. At the time, Gov. Tom Wolf had said he would sign the bill as part of a larger budget deal, but that fell apart.
The state chamber was equally supportive.
“This is a very significant step for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in terms of privatization”, House Speaker Rep. Mike Turzai, a Republican, told reporters after the vote.
“We are going from 620 state stores that sell alcohol across the state of Pennsylvania to potentially 15-20,000 outlets that will now be allowed to sell alcohol”, he said. “Modernizing the PLCB makes the most sense for Pennsylvania, especially given the state’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit”. Such a move could put thousands of employees at the state-run, unionized stores out of work and was one of a handful of issues that contributed to a almost nine-month impasse over this year’s state budget.
Another provision would let casinos serve alcohol around the clock, instead of just for 19 hours in a day under current law.
Supporters have said supermarkets and big-box retail stores would likely purchase takeout licenses from current holders or the state. It also permits direct shipment of wine to Pennsylvania residences, and allows state stores to be open on holidays.
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Consumers should be able to pick up their wine at grocery stores by the end of August, Truitt said.
