The Indiana Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Monday to legalize Sunday alcohol carryout sales. It’s the first time the Senate has ever approved such legislation.
Sunday sales has historically been a highly controversial issue at the Statehouse. It’s never so much as passed a Senate committee before this year, let alone the whole chamber. Yet there was no debate on the measure Monday.
Sen. Ron Alting (R-Lafayette) simply presented his bill, to allow any store that currently sells alcohol to sell it on Sundays between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m.
And less than two minutes after Alting got up to speak, Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) closed the voting machine.
“Clerk will tally the roll. Roll call shows 39 ayes, 10 nays. The bill has passed,” Long announced.
The measure now heads to the House. That chamber’s identical version of Sunday sales legislation will be available for passage Tuesday.
