Sunday Liquor Sales Bill Moves Forward

Despite and many vendors, a second committee in the state legislature has green-lighted a bill that would allow liquor sales on Sundays.

As the Nutmeg State prepares to overhaul its post-Prohibition laws, the Connecticut Package Store Association (CPSA) warned of a big-box invasion.

According to The Associated Press, the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee of the General Assembly approved the widely discussed bill Monday afternoon by a 39-11 vote.

Because wrapped in proposed legislation to allow for Sunday liquor sales is a proposal to end a decades-long practice of what some legislators are calling price-fixing.

Connecticut uses a price posting system to enforce uniform pricing. Distributors must offer the same price to all retailers and publically post those prices. Distributors can't offer quantity discounts to retailers. 

The CPSA represents more than 1,000 of the state's package stores. It said ending price floors would mean thousands of lost jobs. 

The group initially opposed Sunday sales, but overwhelming support caused them to retreat. Instead they worry ending price floors will give chain stores and supermarkets an unfair advantage when purchasing alcohol because they can buy in bulk and sell at steep discounts.

Smaller stores won't be able to compete, they testified in a recent public hearing.

According to the AP report posted in the Norwich Bulletin, Greenwich state Sen. L. Scott Frantz, a Republican, supported the measure though he questioned its practice given a low number of enforcement inspectors.