House stalls Sunday alcohol sales after Senate bill stumbles

The House sponsor of legislation that would allow voters to decide on Sunday alcohol sales in stores said Thursday he’ll sit on his bill after watching a similar measure stall in the Senate for the third consecutive year.

The Senate sponsor of the Sunday sales bill withdrew it Wednesday when he realized he couldn’t get it out of the Senate Regulated Industries Committee.

The Senate bill stalled despite the public support of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, the chamber’s president, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and Senate Rules Chairman Don Balfour (R-Snellville).

House Regulated Industries Chairman Roger Williams (R-Dalton) has sponsored a similar bill. But he said he doesn’t want to put his chamber on the spot to pass such a controversial measure only to watch it die again in the Senate.

“I’m not going to have our people stick their necks out on the line because of the ineptness over in the Senate,” Williams said Thursday.

“I’m just really disappointed in what they’ve done. I don’t know what kind of games they are playing, but it’s not a good game.”

House Majority Leader Jerry Keen (R-St. Simons Island) said earlier in the session that he figured his chamber would pass legislation allowing for local votes on Sunday sales.

But with strong opposition from the Religious Right and liquor store owners who don’t want to open on Sundays, any vote on the issue could have political consequences.

House members were leery about voting on a bill that has never even made it to the Senate floor for a vote.

Both Cagle and Senate Regulated Industries Chairman David Shafer (R-Duluth) have been blamed for stalling the bill. Both have strong political connections to Richard Tucker, an influential Gwinnett County liquor store owner who opposes Sunday sales.

However, Cagle’s staff point to a letter he has sent out supporting voters’ rights to decide the issue. Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland), the bill’s sponsor, said Wednesday that Cagle didn’t kill his legislation.

Shafer has said he’s not to blame for the bill’s inability to get out of his committee.

Williams said of Sunday sales, “It’s not dead, but right now it’s in limbo.”