State Sen. Rice Proposing High Point Beer & Wine Sales In Grocery Stores

[patric]

One of the federally indicted officers, Henderson, was using "Bar Checks" for a personal vendetta against a bar, and IA eventually sustained the complaint.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2010/crimesite/article.aspx?subjectid=450&articleid=20100516_11_A1_Ajudge523032

But as we have been reading in the paper, Internal Affairs complaints only go as far as the Deputy chief's shredders.

Antiquated alcohol laws facilitate corruption, on so many levels.
The most corrupt will fight tooth and nail to keep the status quo, but in the end it would be in the publics best interest to drag the state kicking and screaming from the dark ages.

[Red Arrow]

How many of the 70% of Oklahoma voters that voted against Sharia Law will vote for more modern Alcohol Control laws?

Running for cover, changing my name etc......

[swake]

How many of the 70% of Oklahoma voters that voted against Sharia Law will vote for more modern Alcohol Control laws?

Running for cover, changing my name etc......

Ah well crap, Good point.

[okcpulse]

How many of the 70% of Oklahoma voters that voted against Sharia Law will vote for more modern Alcohol Control laws?

Running for cover, changing my name etc......

Well, the lottery and casino gambling both passed by a 2 to 1 margin and there were no uber-religious protests when the tattoo ban was ended.

How many counties have passed liquor by the drink in the past ten years?  At least a dozen or so.  I think Oklahomans are friendly towards change depending on how the issue is sold.  How many Oklahomans go to Texas or Missouri to buy strong beer?  How much longer are lawmakers going to give Oklahomans a reason to cross the state border to spend their money?  That's lost tax dollars and lost economic dollars.

[dbacks fan]

Well, the lottery and casino gambling both passed by a 2 to 1 margin and there were no uber-religious protests when the tattoo ban was ended.

How many counties have passed liquor by the drink in the past ten years?  At least a dozen or so.  I think Oklahomans are friendly towards change depending on how the issue is sold.  How many Oklahomans go to Texas or Missouri to buy strong beer?  How much longer are lawmakers going to give Oklahomans a reason to cross the state border to spend their money?  That's lost tax dollars and lost economic dollars.

It's interesting that this was brought up at the state level in Febuary of '10 and it died. Now the OKC COC is pushing it and it is getting some traction to help a business develop it's market. Liquor store owners are stating gloom and doom, and that they will have to raise prices if the change goes in to effect. It's a simple case of the distributors and the liquor stores not wanting competition, this has stifeled growth for years. As others have stated there are only two or three distributors in OK for wine and spirits, and those control the entire state for that market wether it's bars, restaraunts, or liquor stores. And a lot of their fear is the fact that if the law is changed they would have to compete with the buying power of of grocery stores and their ability to negotiate prices with the distillery or brewer for purchasing product for their stores, and it might open the door to more distributors being able to open up. You can say what you want, but if OK opend up the competition in the wine/spirits/strong beer, and properly taxed it, it might be a good revenue stream for the state. Call it a "Sin Tax" or whatever, it could be beneficial. (But then again, I'm applying logic, and the state never uses that)

[nathanm]

As others have stated there are only two or three distributors in OK for wine and spirits, and those control the entire state for that market wether it's bars, restaraunts, or liquor stores. And a lot of their fear is the fact that if the law is changed they would have to compete with the buying power of of grocery stores and their ability to negotiate prices with the distillery or brewer for purchasing product for their stores,

The distributors won't care as long as any change in the law doesn't outlaw exclusive distribution contracts. AFAIK, every state allows regional exclusivity for distributors if that's what the brewery/distiller/winemaker write into their contracts, which they mostly all do. To the distributors, more volume means more profit. Larger volume sales at a given store means less expense per case. And the exclusivity of the distribution rights means that retailers like Wal-Mart can't squeeze them on price. With beer and wine they're just like any other retailer, except that they require that you show up at a very specific time with the product and they tend to buy a lot more of it.

If the distributors here are arguing against strong beer and wine in grocery stores, it's because they're stupid and unwilling to make minor changes to their business model, not because it will inherently harm them.

Personally, I'd be pretty happy if we could just get real beer in grocery stores and allow liquor stores to refrigerate their product and stay open until at least midnight. Liquor stores will do fine if we get rid of the stupid restrictions because they can carry a much wider variety than most C-stores or grocery stores are willing to stock. We merely need to look to other states to see that nobody is in trouble from any of this.

[Conan71]

I guess what starches me is that a tiny minority of three liquor distributors and how ever many liquor store owners there are can manage to keep this off a public ballot where the majority of Oklahomans can choose how and where they want to buy wine and beer.  Naturally, those benevolent distributors and liquor store owners along with the legislators they own are just trying to protect us from ourselves.

[Nik]

Since this has become the official high point beer sales thread, I'll post this here instead of starting a new thread.

I went through all current legislation and documented bills currently proposed that relate significantly to wine & beer sales. Take a look at my other thread on how to track these bills via email.


HB1354: Would allow bars/restaurants/etc to advertise happy hours between 4pm & 7pm and allow them to sell alcohol at a discounted price.

HB1741: This is all the "Oklahoma Intoxicating Liquors Reform Act" but I'm not seeing any text in the bill.

HB1757: Would require breweries to print the exact ABV on the label.

HB1841: Same as HB1741 but called the "Intoxicating Liquors Act".

HB1963: A very expansive bill and I'm not 100% what the goal is. It appears to be removing references to "low-point beer" and allowing all beer to be classified the same.

HB2104: Same as HB1741 but called the "Intoxicating Liquors Policy Act".

HJR1011 & HJR1014: Would allow breweries to sell their beer outside of the wholesalers network (I would assume this would allow brewpubs to serve their own high-point beer). Also would allow breweries to sell their own product at the brewery. This would be a ballot initiative.

HJR1015: Would allow liquor stores to sell "nonalcoholic beverages designed to be mixed with alcoholic beverages, bottle openers, cork screws and other wine and spirit accessories." This would be a ballot initiative.

HJR1034: Would allow supermarkets and other grocery/retail stores to sell beer and wine between .5% and 25% ABV. This would be a ballot initiative.

HJR1041: Would allow wineries to directly ship their product to consumers over the age of 21. This would be a ballot initiative.

SB861: Would allow bars/restaurants/etc to advertise happy hours between 3pm & 7pm and allow them to sell alcohol at a discounted price.

SJR35: Has something to do with liquor, but the link to the actual text of the bill is broken. Will update this as soon as I see it is fixed.

[Nik]

HJR1015 was passed by the Rules Committee today in a 10-2 vote.

[Townsend]

HJR1015 was passed by the Rules Committee today in a 10-2 vote.

My gin and my tonic all in one place?  Huzzah fellas, huzzah.

So that's one.  I guess any step is a step.

[heironymouspasparagus]

But that's good for business!!  They should be protected.

Unless the ox being gored is yours.....

[Townsend]

http://www.newson6.com/Global/story.asp?S=14165213

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A bill that would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell strong beer and wine is being put on hold while a task force studies the issue.

A bill by Republican state Sen. Clark Jolley would create a 13-member task force that would help draft a proposal to be presented to the Legislature next year.

The sale of strong beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores is supported by chambers of commerce and consumer groups who say Oklahoma's alcohol laws are antiquated. Opponents include alcohol retailers and distributors who say their business models depend on existing state alcohol laws.

Current law allows only low-point beer to be sold in grocery and convenience stores. Only liquor stores are allowed retail sales of strong beer or wine and the products cannot be refrigerated.

[Red Arrow]

Opponents include alcohol retailers and distributors who say their business models depend on existing state alcohol laws.

Damsels in distress depended on dragons and knights in shining armor.

There were real businesses whose business model vaporized too.

The time for Oklahoma's liquor laws has past.

[Townsend]

The time for Oklahoma's liquor laws has past.

Only if we can close those damsels' purses.

[Red Arrow]

Only if we can close those damsels' purses.

The time is past.  Whether or not we can change them is a different story.