Expanded Cold Beer Sales Take A Blow With Statehouse Appointment

The new chairman of a commission reviewing Indiana's alcohol laws has not supported the idea in the past.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – Some cold water may be getting thrown on plans to allow cold beer sales in Indiana.

Earlier this year, Indiana lawmakers repealed the state’s Prohibition-era ban on allowing carry-out alcohol sales on Sundays. But they left in place a law which restricts cold beer sales to liquor stores, leaving grocery and convenience stores to sell their beer at room temperature.

An appointment to the Alcohol Code Revision Commission at the Indiana Statehouse does not bode well for cold beer sales being allowed at all retailers in the near future.

Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) announced Wednesday he has appointed former State Rep. Bill Davis to chair the commission.

Davis will replace former State Senator Beverly Gard, who held that role on the summer study commission last year when it recommended legalizing Sunday sales.

As chairman of the House Public Policy Committee from 2011 until 2013, Davis was not receptive to either Sunday sales or expanded cold beer availability. According to The Indianapolis Star, he routinely blocked legislation for either alcohol law reform ideas.

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The commission is set this summer to continue a two-year review of Indiana’s alcohol laws.

“During Bill’s service to the General Assembly, especially as chair of the Public Policy Committee, he always demonstrated strong leadership skills, integrity and the right temperament when handed tough issues,” Bosma said. “His strong background in the private and public sectors will help him lead the commission as they focus this summer on improving Indiana’s alcohol licensing laws and evaluating the impacts of over-consumption.”

According to the Speaker, the commission’s focus last year was on reform recommendations for the retail sector of Indiana’s alcohol statutes. This year, the commission will examine ways to reduce complexity and improve consistency in Indiana's alcohol licensing system, evaluating the current quota structure for providing alcohol licenses, and studying over-consumption at retail outlets, hours of sale, and the impact on DUI rates, sexual assaults and public safety.