Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Liquor stores located in Texas counties that border Mexico would be able to open for business on Sunday from noon until 9 p.m. under legislation that has been filed by Rep. Terry Canales D-Edinburg.
Canales said his measure is designed to keep more Texas shoppers and their buying power in local communities during the weekend give border liquor shops a more even playing field against their Mexican competition and reduce the need for Texas residents to risk the threat of the drug-related violence in neighboring Mexican cities.
Mexico is fraught with violence especially along the frontera (border)" Canales said. The passage of this legislation provides a safe alternative and benefits the economy at the same time."
His legislation House Bill 703 would also help protect U.S. consumers who have little assurance of the quality of the liquor sold in Mexico.
There is an important reason why someone can only bring so much liquor from Mexico into Texas and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission says it best: If the limitations were not in place then it would translate into more product entering the state without label approval and testing for purity" Canales noted.
According to the TABC website the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is the state agency that regulates all phases of the alcoholic beverage industry in Texas. The duties of the commission include regulating sales taxation importation manufacturing transporting and advertising of alcoholic beverages.
The TABC collects in excess of $200 million annually in taxes and fees which aids in the financing of the states public schools local governments research human services and other areas in which state government provides services.
Generating revenue for these key state services is also an important reason for my legislation" Canales added. However it seems unfair to me to force a specific industry to be shut down on Sundays through no fault of their own and for no good reason."
Canales has signed on as a joint author of House Bill 421 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson D-Houston which would allow the more than 2400 liquor stores statewide to open for business on Sundays.
I support any measure that allows industries regulated by antiquated blue laws to be open on Sundays" Canales sai
Sen. Juan Chuy" Hinojosa D-McAllen is carrying a bill in the Senate that is identical to the Thompson/Canales version
Then Canales said I fully support the legislation by Rep. Thompson and Sen. Hinojosa but I believe my measure which is exclusive to Texas counties that border Mexico has much more compelling reasons for passage."
Liquor shops and automobile dealers are two of the major industries in Texas that are required to close one day each weekend the result of what are known as blue laws" according to the Texas Tribune.
According to the Tribun
You cant buy liquor on Sunday and car dealerships can only be open one day over a weekend because of the last remnants of so-called blue laws" in Texas. Blue laws have been around since before Texas or the United States were founded. Their purpose originally was to prohibit the sale of certain goods on Sundays a day traditionally meant to be spent in church and resting.
Over time the laws have changed in Texas and most of the bans were removed in 1985 except of course for the restrictions on liquor and on auto dealers. The states 2460 liquor stores cannot sell liquor on Sunday but after noon on Sundays bars and restaurants can sell alcoholic drinks and stores can sell beer and wine.
In 2011 Sen. Rodney Ellis DHouston and Rep. Jose Aliseda R-Beeville introduced legislation to allow Texas liquor stores to open on Sundays. According to the Texas Tribune Sen. Ellis stated that 14 states have lifted their Sunday liquor bans since 2002 according to the Texas Tribune. Ellis reportedly said it is time Texas does the same.
According to the Senate bill analysis of the Ellis/Aliseda legislation:
Currently in Texas package stores wholesalers and local distributors may not sell or deliver liquor on Sundays. However there are more than 35000 restaurants and bars in Texas that sell alcohol every Sunday. The ban on Sunday sales exists only for the states 2460 package stores and dates back to before Prohibition.
Since 2002 14 states have repealed their Sunday liquor bans including Texas neighbors New Mexico Arkansas Louisiana and Mexico. Thirty-six states now permit Sunday liquor sales.
A recent national economic analysis of states that allowed Sunday sales between 2002 and 2005 showed that in 2006 each state saw an average of a five to seven percent increase in tax revenues with zero negative social impact such as drunk driving or underage drinking.
According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations Texas stands to gain $7.5 million in new revenue biennially. Other analyses show increases up to $12 million biennially. This increase is consistent with what other states that have authorized Sunday sales have experienced in tax revenue gain.
This legislation would amend the Alcoholic Beverage Code to allow package stores wholesalers and local distributors to sell and deliver liquor on Sundays.
Retailers would not have to be open on Sunday but would have the option to open on Sunday.
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Liquor stores located in Texas counties that border Mexico would be able to open for business on Sunday from noon until 9 p.m. under legislation that has been filed by Rep. Terry Canales D-Edinburg.
Canales said his measure is designed to keep more Texas shoppers and their buying power in local communities during the weekend give border liquor shops a more even playing field against their Mexican competition and reduce the need for Texas residents to risk the threat of the drug-related violence in neighboring Mexican cities.
Mexico is fraught with violence especially along the frontera (border)" Canales said. The passage of this legislation provides a safe alternative and benefits the economy at the same time."
His legislation House Bill 703 would also help protect U.S. consumers who have little assurance of the quality of the liquor sold in Mexico.
There is an important reason why someone can only bring so much liquor from Mexico into Texas and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission says it best: If the limitations were not in place then it would translate into more product entering the state without label approval and testing for purity" Canales noted.
According to the TABC website the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is the state agency that regulates all phases of the alcoholic beverage industry in Texas. The duties of the commission include regulating sales taxation importation manufacturing transporting and advertising of alcoholic beverages.
The TABC collects in excess of $200 million annually in taxes and fees which aids in the financing of the states public schools local governments research human services and other areas in which state government provides services.
Generating revenue for these key state services is also an important reason for my legislation" Canales added. However it seems unfair to me to force a specific industry to be shut down on Sundays through no fault of their own and for no good reason."
Canales has signed on as a joint author of House Bill 421 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson D-Houston which would allow the more than 2400 liquor stores statewide to open for business on Sundays.
I support any measure that allows industries regulated by antiquated blue laws to be open on Sundays" Canales sai
Sen. Juan Chuy" Hinojosa D-McAllen is carrying a bill in the Senate that is identical to the Thompson/Canales version
Then Canales said I fully support the legislation by Rep. Thompson and Sen. Hinojosa but I believe my measure which is exclusive to Texas counties that border Mexico has much more compelling reasons for passage."
Liquor shops and automobile dealers are two of the major industries in Texas that are required to close one day each weekend the result of what are known as blue laws" according to the Texas Tribune.
According to the Tribun
You cant buy liquor on Sunday and car dealerships can only be open one day over a weekend because of the last remnants of so-called blue laws" in Texas. Blue laws have been around since before Texas or the United States were founded. Their purpose originally was to prohibit the sale of certain goods on Sundays a day traditionally meant to be spent in church and resting.
Over time the laws have changed in Texas and most of the bans were removed in 1985 except of course for the restrictions on liquor and on auto dealers. The states 2460 liquor stores cannot sell liquor on Sunday but after noon on Sundays bars and restaurants can sell alcoholic drinks and stores can sell beer and wine.
In 2011 Sen. Rodney Ellis DHouston and Rep. Jose Aliseda R-Beeville introduced legislation to allow Texas liquor stores to open on Sundays. According to the Texas Tribune Sen. Ellis stated that 14 states have lifted their Sunday liquor bans since 2002 according to the Texas Tribune. Ellis reportedly said it is time Texas does the same.
According to the Senate bill analysis of the Ellis/Aliseda legislation:
Currently in Texas package stores wholesalers and local distributors may not sell or deliver liquor on Sundays. However there are more than 35000 restaurants and bars in Texas that sell alcohol every Sunday. The ban on Sunday sales exists only for the states 2460 package stores and dates back to before Prohibition.
Since 2002 14 states have repealed their Sunday liquor bans including Texas neighbors New Mexico Arkansas Louisiana and Mexico. Thirty-six states now permit Sunday liquor sales.
A recent national economic analysis of states that allowed Sunday sales between 2002 and 2005 showed that in 2006 each state saw an average of a five to seven percent increase in tax revenues with zero negative social impact such as drunk driving or underage drinking.
According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) recommendations Texas stands to gain $7.5 million in new revenue biennially. Other analyses show increases up to $12 million biennially. This increase is consistent with what other states that have authorized Sunday sales have experienced in tax revenue gain.
This legislation would amend the Alcoholic Beverage Code to allow package stores wholesalers and local distributors to sell and deliver liquor on Sundays.
Retailers would not have to be open on Sunday but would have the option to open on Sunday.
