The Legislature disposed of one alcohol-related bill today and confronts two more tomorrow.
South Dakota may not be getting tougher on drunk drivers, but the Legislature is trying to hold the line against all-day bingers. House Bill 1123 would have allowed Deadwood casinos and connected hotels to sell alcohol all day, any day except Christmas (what? no exception for Passover, or Ramadan?). On a 15–20 vote this afternoon, the Senate said last call in Deadwood remains at 2 a.m.
Senate Bill 163, which Toby reported on when it passed the Senate three weeks ago, would punish anyone who hosts a party and allows underage drinking. Under SB 163, letting kids drink alcohol becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor; letting the 18–20 crowd drink is a Class 2 misdemeanor. SB 163 comes up before House Commerce and Energy Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.
Staggering into that same hearing is another attempt to let South Dakotans order wine by mail. Senate Bill 114 would create a wine direct shipper license (annual fee: $150). South Dakota connoisseurs would be allowed to order no more than twelve cases (nine liters per case) per calendar year. Drink it, share it, but don't resell it: try competing with the alcohol industry, and you'll face a Class 1 misdemeanor charge.
SB 114 seems a reasonable expansion of commercial opportunity for South Dakota vintners. The Governor's office likes it, but the powerful alcohol distributors do not. It took three committee hearings—two before a balky Senate Commerce and Energy, which punted the bill to a slightly more favorable Senate Appropriations. The full Senate o.k.'ed SB 114 23–11; bill sponsors hope to raise their glasses to House Commerce and Energy tomorrow.
And in totally unrelated news, legislators are celebrating alcohol as go-juice tonight at Red Rossa with the South Dakota Ethanol Producers.
Does SD still have a 3.2 beer?
MN has been arguing over hours and Sunday sales for a long time. It's up before the legislature again this year. Wisconsin is a 30 minute drive from MSP, and has Sunday sales. It's easy to guess what happens. Do SD's bordering states sell liquor on Sundays?
One of the pro Sell on Sundays argument is that other stores are doing business by the hundreds. It's unfair to single liquor sales out.
Does Deadwood or any of the American Indian casinos sell booze on Sundays?
BTW, in MN you can't buy a car or anything in a pawn shop on Sunday. Weird, huh? I think restaurants can sell drinks here on Sundays.
Yet another reason to boycott Deadwood and LawCo:
http://www.bhpioneer.com/local_news/article_bee70570-a3ba-11e3-91ff-001a4bcf887a.html
Nebraska sells alcohol every day of the year. Cities can put their own restrictions on hours somewhat...State required cut-off time is 2am and I don't think they can sell before 6am.
For example, Omaha itself used to not allow alcohol before noon on Sundays (which sucked when working a Sunday morning brunch in a restaurant "Sorry, no mimosa or bloody mary with your brunch!"). They may have changed that now, though, I'm not sure since I don't live in Omaha-proper.
The towns surrounding Omaha, some just across a major road, have allowed alcohol before noon on Sundays. When I used to live inside Omaha city-limits, guess where we went to watch early Sunday NFL games? Certainly not in Omaha.
We also can order wine from any company with a license to distribute and have it shipped to Nebraska. Which comes in handy when one of my favorite vineyards is in Oregon :)
I remember a bumper sticker from the 60s that said Gas and alcohol don't mix,but gas straight ain't bad. How times have changed. I wonder if my jeep would pass a field sobriety test since it burns gasahol? On windy days it has trouble going straight.