Sunday Wine Sales Should Fund Pre-K: Tennessee Lawmaker

NASHVILLE, TN - A Tennessee legislator wants taxes generated by a Sunday wine sales to fund Pre-K scholarships for low-income families.

State Sen. Lee Harris, Democrat of Memphis, filed SB1968, which would remit taxes from the sale of wine on Sunday to a "newly created low income children pre-kindergarten scholarship fund" and "requires the department of education to use money in the fund to establish a scholarship program to provide access to pre-kindergarten to children from low income families."

The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate State and Local Government Committee March 6. The House companion, sponsored by Republican Rep. Mark White, also of Memphis, has been assigned to that chamber's state government committee.

An important hurdle, of course, is getting Sunday wine sales approved in general. This year's effort is sponsored by numerous leading Republicans, though will likely face stiff opposition from the liquor-store lobby, for generations one of the most powerful lobbies in the General Assembly.

"This bill is about priorities," Harris said in a statement. "The legislature is going to take up Sunday-sales of wine this year. This bill simply says if Sunday-sales pass, we are going to use the tax revenue generated to fund more pre-k classrooms for those kids who need it most."

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