Alcohol Commission Recommends Sunday Sales

A special panel studying Indiana’s alcohol laws recommends the legislature legalize Sunday alcohol laws – with some limitations. The commission Tuesday postponed any other recommendations.

The alcohol commission voted in support of a preliminary draft for legislation to allow Sunday alcohol sales. The proposal would give liquor, grocery, and convenience stores the ability to sell alcohol for carry-out between noon and 8 p.m. on Sundays.

But the commission opted to hold off on any other recommendations until December. That decision came after lengthy debate over whether to allow grocery and convenient stores to sell cold beer. Commission chairwoman Beverly Gard says she doesn’t know if cold beer will end up in the final recommendation for the legislature.

“I don’t know how this commission is going to go. Certainly, I think there are going to be some regulatory requirements if it does… If it’s a go,” Gard says.

Commission member Keith Byers says he’s concerned about all the commission is attempting to tackle.

“I don’t know that this commission can send in 25-30 recommendations and get anything done,” Byers says.

The commission is scheduled to meet again Dec. 1.