The Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would allow carryout alcohol sales on Sundays.
House Bill 1051, authored by Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, would allow liquor stores, drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores to sell carryout alcohol on Sundays.
It passed 87-10, making a repeal of the ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales highly likely.
The Senate voted on and passed an identical bill Monday.
Just because both chambers passed the bill does not necessarily mean it is ready to be put into law. The two chambers will first trade their approved legislature. Either the House or Senate can amend or vote the other chamber's bill down.
Then, one chamber must pass the other chamber's law. From there, the approved law will head to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk for the final signature of approval.
As they made their way through their respective chambers, both bills had proposed amendments. The amendments would have extended the time alcohol could be bought to 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Sunday. However, both amendments failed.
As he presented the bill on Monday, Alting said he was proud to present the bill to the Senate.
“This bill will allow all of our businesses to serve alcohol approximately 74 percent of the hours in a week,” Alting said.
The vote comes after a November recommendation from Indiana’s Alcohol Code Revision Commission, which decided to allow carryout alcohol sales on Sundays.
The commission did not, however, say anything regarding cold beer sales. Just last week, a Senate committee voted down a bill that would have allowed cold beer to be sold in grocery stores, convenience stores or drug stores.
Laurel Demkovich
