Kansas Senate Kills Sunday Liquor Sales
TOPEKA, Kan. -- With a tie vote late Wednesday night, the Kansas Senate rejected a bill to allow Sunday liquor and beer sales after the bill had cleared the House 71-50 a few hours earlier, reported the Kansan Wichita Eagle.
Opponents of Sunday sales successfully argued to kill a negotiated agreement with the House. The Senate vote was 20-20. Sen. James Barnett (R-Emporia) said the bill represented a "quantum leap" in liquor policy and noted that alcohol is the leading cause of death for young people.
Supporters said killing the bill won't stop Sunday sales. More than a dozen Kansas cities have allowed liquor stores to open on Sunday by choosing to opt out of the current state law that prohibits Sunday alcohol sales.
In Kansas, cities can opt out of state laws that don't apply uniformly to all cities. In this case, the state Liquor Control Act has different methods of approving liquor stores based on a city's classification.
The bill the Senate rejected would have made the act uniform across the state. The bill would have explicitly allowed city and county governments to approve Sunday sales. Voters who opposed such a move would then have had 30 days to petition to put the issue on the ballot.
Liquor stores would have been allowed to open during hours approved by the local governing bodies. Convenience stores and other outlets also would have been allowed to sell beer on Sunday, according to the news source.
Opponents of Sunday sales successfully argued to kill a negotiated agreement with the House. The Senate vote was 20-20. Sen. James Barnett (R-Emporia) said the bill represented a "quantum leap" in liquor policy and noted that alcohol is the leading cause of death for young people.
Supporters said killing the bill won't stop Sunday sales. More than a dozen Kansas cities have allowed liquor stores to open on Sunday by choosing to opt out of the current state law that prohibits Sunday alcohol sales.
In Kansas, cities can opt out of state laws that don't apply uniformly to all cities. In this case, the state Liquor Control Act has different methods of approving liquor stores based on a city's classification.
The bill the Senate rejected would have made the act uniform across the state. The bill would have explicitly allowed city and county governments to approve Sunday sales. Voters who opposed such a move would then have had 30 days to petition to put the issue on the ballot.
Liquor stores would have been allowed to open during hours approved by the local governing bodies. Convenience stores and other outlets also would have been allowed to sell beer on Sunday, according to the news source.