Seven-day wine, liquor sales bill advances

NASHVILLE — A bill legalizing seven-day wine and liquor sales moved through two major legislative committees on Tuesday.

The House State Government Committee and Senate State and Local Government Committee approved the legislation, which is sponsored by Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, and Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro.

Their bill would allow grocery stores to sell wine on Sundays. It also permits liquor stores to open Sundays and sell both wine and spirits on Sundays. Current laws barring wine and spirits sales on major holidays like New Year’s Day, Christmas and July 4 would fall by the wayside.

The legislation sets consistent hours for the sale of wine and spirits from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday.

Tennessee grocery stores have mounted an aggressive push for Sunday sales, saying customers are confused and unhappy by not being able to purchase wine on Sundays.

According to the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, the existing Sunday ban is unfair considering wine and liquor can be sold seven days a week for on-premises consumption at restaurants, sporting events, hotels, theaters, convention centers, airports, retirement centers and tourist resorts while distilleries can sell up to 5 gallons any day of the week.

The group says Tennessee is one of only nine states that don’t allow seven-day sales, with Indiana just this week approving seven-day alcohol sales.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council, in those states that have approved seven-day sales since 2002, retailers have seen an increase in sales of between 4 and 11.5 percent, even after adjusting for diversion from other days of the week.

In Tennessee, it is estimated that allowing seven-day sales would generate $20 million to $28 million each year for retailers.

The measure next heads to the House finance subcommittee.