Oklahoma liquor laws

[badger]

The latest! (http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20120313_61_A15_Allowi874314)


Allowing retail liquor stores to also sell corkscrews, bottle openers, stemware and non-alcoholic mixers makes a lot of sense. But for that to happen, the Oklahoma Constitution would first have to be amended by a vote of the people.


Rep. Colby Schwartz, R-Yukon, has introduced House Joint Resolution 1015, which would put the question on the state ballot. Colby hopes to get the resolution approved by the full House by the Thursday deadline for bills and resolutions to pass the chamber of their origin.

Constitutional language that prohibits liquor stores from selling liquor-related merchandise is a vestige of the days when Oklahoma was a dry state.

The Legislature ought to give Oklahomans the opportunity to vote on the issue.

That said, however, lawmakers might also address the flip side of the coin: Let voters also decide whether grocery and convenience stores may sell strong beer and wine.

If a state question on the sale of corkscrews by liquor stores is going to be put before voters via legislative referendum, so, too, should the issue of strong beer and wine sales. HJR 1015 could be amended to include both issues.

A group that advocates letting grocery and convenience stores sell strong beer and wine is in the preliminary stages of mounting an initiative petition drive to get the issue on the ballot, but that might not happen until the 2014 election.

Better that the two issues be considered by voters at the same time.

It finally might happen, folks. You might be able to buy the brats you fry and the beer you fry the brats with at the same store!

Or, it might not.

Thoughts?

[LiveLaughLove]

Not a drinker, but I'm all for it.

[TUSooner]

I know a man who swore never to visit Oklahoma again (and never has) after he was shocked to learn he could not buy a bottle of wine after 9pm when he had just driven 12 hours to bring his daughter to OU. The point? Well I'm not exactly sure, but it goes to show that Oklahoma's puritanical and paternalistic liquor laws are dumb: They do not prevent louts from getting drunk and stupid, but they annoy decent and responsible people.

[OULenexaman]

So what is taking so long?? sheesh...

[sappstuf]

So that explains why I am so good at opening a beer bottle with my keys or the sharp edge of the table...

[SanJoaquinSooner]

While we're at it, I'd like to give my native state a middle finger for not allowing me to legally ship a bottle of wine from California to my parents. Down with interstate protectionism.

[OULenexaman]

I have shipped many a bottle of wine to OK..just last Xmas..WTF are you talking about?

[badger]

I have shipped many a bottle of wine to OK..just last Xmas..WTF are you talking about?

K4SXIEsjLrU

:D

[Lott's Bandana]

I have shipped many a bottle of wine to OK..just last Xmas..WTF are you talking about?


I believe wine merchants in other states cannot ship to a private address in Oklahoma. I have tried it from California and also from Chicago...no dice. Joe Bubba can stick a bottle in a box and mail all he wants.

Distribution has everything all locked up and (big surprise), they are the lobby that keeps the common sense alcohol laws from getting anywhere near passing.

Beverage Distribution in Oklahoma = Status Quo

[Ike]

The liquor laws in this state drive me insane. So Ive sworn off everything I cant get at the grocery store (or make at home) until they become more sensible. I figure that's a sacrifice I can make, and it gives the liquor store lobby a little less money with which to stand in the way of common sense.

Also, these self imposed rules are off when I go out of state. Especially when I drive to Chicago to load up on Two Brothers.

[OhU1]

How about local control at least, let it be decided at the county level. That way the population centers of the state can move into the 21st century and Ma and Pa Kettle out in Goetbo can stay in the early 20th if they choose.

[soonercruiser]

The latest! (http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20120313_61_A15_Allowi874314)



It finally might happen, folks. You might be able to buy the brats you fry and the beer you fry the brats with at the same store!

Or, it might not.

Thoughts?

Brats!!??
How do you know my kids are brats???
So, they have been hiding at the liquor store!
:playful:

[olevetonahill]

Back In MY Moonshinin days . I shipped some all over the place

They axed me what Im a sendin I just told em "Home Made Preserves"

[Tulsa_Fireman]

"Preserving" your liver in formaldehyde and corn squeezings doesn't count, Vet. :P

[OU68]

Brown Derby in Springfield ships to Oklahoma. They get around it by their policy that once it leaves their facility, it belongs to you. Our laws are maddening if you've ever lived or worked anywhere else. Not being able to buy a bottle of wine on a Sunday when you've just returned from a trip is just insane - but does keep the distributors in control, as someone else has already pointed out.

[jkjsooner]

The liquor laws in this state drive me insane.

It might not be as insane as Oklahoma but the liquor laws in most states are crazy. It seems like every state has something weird. In Maryland you can't buy anything at the grocery store (or couldn't 15 years ago). In New York state, everyone in the party has to show ID excluding parents with their kids. If you have one person under 21 they can't sell to you and none of the people in that party can buy at that store for a period of time. (Seriously, how effective is that? Locals know it and if you want to buy your underage friend beer you just make sure they don't go into the store.) In DC you couldn't buy alcohol in convenience stores after 10 PM. (That changed recently.)

[Turd_Ferguson]

My first visit to yanky land was up in Detroit. I walked into a 7-11 and seen John Daniels, Crown, etc. behind the counter and was like WTF? Oh, and KMart's having a dedicated isle to wine...


To this day(as far as I know), Loves Travel Stops, stop selling beer at midnight every night. I'm not positive about this anymore, as I've decided not to ever give them my business again...

[Ike]

It might not be as insane as Oklahoma but the liquor laws in most states are crazy. It seems like every state has something weird. In Maryland you can't buy anything at the grocery store (or couldn't 15 years ago). In New York state, everyone in the party has to show ID excluding parents with their kids. If you have one person under 21 they can't sell to you and none of the people in that party can buy at that store for a period of time. (Seriously, how effective is that? Locals know it and if you want to buy your underage friend beer you just make sure they don't go into the store.) In DC you couldn't buy alcohol in convenience stores after 10 PM. (That changed recently.)

In my former state of residence (IL), most of the laws regarding when/where on sales of liquor were left up to local governments. For my particular town, it was no problem getting liquor during late hours (I once asked the proprietor of the liquor store down the street when he closes, because hours weren't listed on the door. His answer was "pretty much whenever we feel it's time".). Cold, good beer in grocery stores? yep. Liquor and wine in grocery stores? had that too. Liquor stores/sections open on sunday? check.

[MamaMia]

I'm not much of a drinker and I'm good at planning ahead so I wil speak for David Boren

OMG! Molly will not be happy about this.

[KantoSooner]

Why not compromise: Okay for grocery stores to sell strong beer and wine. And okay for liquor stores to sell pot?
More commerce, higher tax revenues, a smiling populace....what's not to love?