Georgia Senate panel backs letting stores, restaurants deliver beer and wine

The measure's sponsor, Rep. Brett Harrell, R-Snellville, said it's a matter of convenience for Georgians who are increasingly getting groceries delivered.

Restaurants in parts of the state have been delivering alcoholic beverages to customers with their food orders during the pandemic.

For decades, Georgia had restrictive alcohol sales laws, and it took about five years of sessions for the grocery and convenience store lobbies to persuade the General Assembly to allow Sunday retail sales of beer, wine and liquor. The measure only passed in 2011 after Gov. Sonny Perdue, a religious conservative who opposed it, left office.

At the time, Georgia was one of only three states with a complete ban on Sunday alcohol sales at stores.

Under the delivery bill, beer or wine couldn't just be left on the front porch, like Amazon deliveries. The delivery person would have to check IDs to make sure the buyer is old enough to purchase alcohol.

It would allow local municipalities to opt out of allowing alcoholic beverage delivery. The liquor store lobby asked out of the bill, so Georgians wouldn’t be able to get a delivery from a liquor store.