Pennsylvania Senate to Discuss Liquor Law Reform This Week

KYW 1060’s Tony Romeo reports Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Senate will attempt again to pass an overhaul of the state’s liquor laws. As every Pennsylvanian over the age of 21 knows, wine and liquor can only be purchased from state-owned stores here. One of 18 “control states” in the country, Pennsylvania has some of the strictest rules for purchasing wine and liquor.

Senate majority leader Dominic Pileggi, a Republican who represents parts of Chester and Delaware counties, had a spokesperson tell KYW 1060 the plan this week is to not attempt a complete state store system overhaul:

[Spokesman Erik] Arneson says “Senator Pileggi has been, for some time, focused mostly on what he thinks people really want out of these reforms, which is to make it more convenient to buy beer and wine in Pennsylvania and that is absolutely the direction that conversations have been going in recent weeks.”

This week’s proposal would allow supermarkets and other stores to sell wine, but would keep spirits in the state-owned stores.

A Pennsylvania House bill, introduced by Republican Bucks County Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, would “modernize” the stores, allowing flexible pricing and miniature state stores inside supermarkets.

[KYW 1060 | The Tribune Democrat]