The Fight for Liquor Liberty Continues

The fight to free Pennsylvanians’ drinks from government control is far from over, according to House Majority Leader Mike Turzai.

Rep. Turzai is expected to give a much needed face-lift to his liquor store privatization legislation, House Bill 11, and expects a vote in the House before November. According to The Patriot-News, the proposal increases the number of licenses auctioned off, allows residents to have out-of-state wine shipped to their doorsteps, and reforms beer laws.

The new plan calls for selling 1,600 licenses, up from the original proposal to auction off 1,250 licenses. A projected sale of retail licenses is estimated to generate $500 million to $750 million in revenue.

Beer distributors also would be permitted to sell six-packs of beer; they currently can only sell cases or kegs. Bars, restaurants and supermarkets with restaurant licenses could sell 18-packs of beer or less.

The latest plan calls for giving beer distributors the opportunity to purchase up to 10 retail licenses to sell wine and liquor.

Under the proposal, the remainder of the licenses would be auctioned off on a county-by-county basis. Dauphin County would be allocated about 32 licenses with a projected value of $548,634 apiece, while Cumberland County would be allocated 28 licenses valued at $635,129 apiece.

In December, the Pennsylvania House gutted HB 11 to remove any privatization of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. Rep. Turzai’s proposal restores the legislation to its original intent.

Now is the time to get behind our legislators supporting a common sense reform to get government out of operating businesses.

Learn more at www.letfreedomdrink.com.