Repealing Sunday liquor sales, taking tobacco products out of liquor stores and lowering Colorado’s drinking age to 18 were among some far-fetched proposals discussed Monday at a meeting meant to head off another legislative fight over who can sell booze.
The summer powwow between lawmakers, industry representatives and businesspeople yielded no compromise on the major issue: Should grocers and convenience stores be able to sell full-strength beer?
The ongoing stalemate makes a bill on the subject more likely next year.
“I was hoping we could find sources of agreement to at least spare everyone the pain of a bill next year,” said Littleton Democrat Rep. Joe Rice.
The ideas Monday were aimed at repairing some of the damage to convenience and grocery stores’ bottom lines, which suffered after lawmakers in 2008 allowed liquor stores to remain open on Sundays.
Sunday shoppers have headed to liquor stores for their six-packs instead of convenience and grocery stores, which can’t sell beer higher than 3.2 percent by weight.
Grocers and convenience-store owners have pushed unsuccessfully for three years for permission to stock full-strength beer on their shelves.
Some ideas are unlikely to gain traction. Allowing 18-year-olds to drink lower-alcohol beer would mean forfeiting millions in federal transportation dollars, for example.
Others, such as limiting Sunday hours for liquor stores or increasing hours for convenience stores, could make their way into legislation, lawmakers said.
Pat Ratliff, who lobbies for Pueblo County liquor stores, suggested repealing Sunday liquor store sales altogether as a way to re-level the playing field, though Rep. Larry Liston said that’s another unlikely solution.
“That probably isn’t going to fly,” said Liston, the Colorado Springs Republican who carried a bill allowing convenience stores to stock full-strength beer earlier this year.
Meanwhile, grocery- and convenience-store interests are working through the state’s alcohol regulation division to ensure that 3.2 beer — which includes many popular light varieties — are properly labeled and not sold at restaurants and liquor stores.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com
