Pa. House GOP: Restaurants, supermarkets should sell hard liquor to go

Nine months after the state began allowing private retailers to sell wine to go, Republicans in the House of Representatives are looking to break the monopoly that Pennsylvania's state-run stores have on sales of vodka, gin, scotch, and other hard liquor.

The House liquor control committee on Monday pushed through two bills that would allow  liquor to be sold at restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, and even new privately run liquor stores.

The measures are still far from Gov. Wolf's desk, and there is a question about whether they can survive a full House vote. But House Republican leaders say liquor privatization is key to raising new dollars for the cash-strapped state, and they are bound to push for some form of the bills in upcoming budget talks.

It also is bound to be a fight.

The Democratic governor has said he has no interest in further privatizing the system run by the Liquor Control Board, noting that last year he and the GOP-controlled legislature pushed through the biggest change in liquor laws since the end of Prohibition by allowing private retailers to sell wine.

"The governor does not support these bills," spokesman J.J. Abbott said in a statement. "He is currently focused on allowing the consumer-centric reforms enacted last year to be fully implemented and ensuring the PLCB is working to maximize returns and consumer convenience."

The first bill approved by the committee Monday would allow retailers who have a restaurant license -- including supermarkets, hotels, and other venues -- to apply for a so-called expanded permit to sell up to four bottles of liquor to go. The initial license application would cost $2,000.

The second bill would create what it calls a "Pennsylvania retail franchise store," which would be allowed to sell wine and liquor under one roof.

"This is stealth privatization of the state liquor system," said Rep. Kevin Boyle (D., Phila.), calling the bills the last step "in unraveling the system."

Other Democrats called the push to open up liquor sales to the private market premature, saying the state has not had enough time to assess the impact of the changes for selling wine.

But Republicans who support the measures said the bills would supplement the current state system. They also note that private retailers would still have to buy the liquor from the LCB.

"I don't think this would force them to necessarily close any stores," said Rep. Adam Harris (R., Juniata), who chairs the committee and is sponsoring the measure to create franchise stores.

He added: "There certainly are some people who would love to see full privatization, and we've been trying to do that for a number of years. With that not being fully successful, I thought, let's take a shot at doing some things that supplement and work with the system."