Sunday Booze Bill Passes Tennessee House

NASHVILLE, TN -- It looks like Sunday Funday in Tennessee is about to become a lot more convenient.

In a 55-35 vote, the Tennessee House of Representatives approved a measure allowing for the sales of wine and liquor on Sundays between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. It would apply to grocery stores with wine sales as well as traditional liquor stores.

The House approved an amendment maintaining the prohibition for sales on Easter, Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, though the bill does open up sales on New Year's Day and Independence Day.

The Senate companion bill is scheduled for a vote Wednesday. It is likely to pass in the upper chamber, as the House was considered the tougher hurdle.

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Under existing law, wine and liquor cannot be sold between 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Monday in addition to certain holidays. That law came into sharp focus in 2017, as it does every seven years or so, when liquor stores were closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Grocery stores which sell wine have the same restrictions as package stores.

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