DENVER – The Legislature on Wednesday backed the sale of full-strength beer, wine and liquor in grocery stores, in what could be historic action.
The decades-long “beer battle” has cast a shadow over the Legislature with little progress – until now, with what is being described as a “grand bargain.”
The bill heads to Gov. John Hickenlooper for his signature, but he has expressed concerns with changing the law.
“I’m not sure we need to try and change our regulatory framework to help big business at the expense of little business,” Hickenlooper said on April 21, before details of the compromise were revealed. “I think it’s fair to say that I would be inclined to protect the status quo.”
It’s also unclear how a proposed ballot initiative would play out in tandem with the legislation. Large grocers who are pushing the initiative issued a blistering statement moments after the bill was sent to the governor.
“The session has ended and the Legislature has failed Coloradans yet again,” read the statement from Your Choice Colorado Campaign Manager Georgie Aguirre-Sacasa. “It’s a ruse and voters won’t fall for it.”
Large grocers are hoping to ask voters this November to support allowing just full-strength beer and wine sales in all grocery stores.
Under the compromise bill, full-strength alcohol sales would be phased in over 20 years, with grocery stores allowed to gradually purchase 20 licenses through 2037. After that, stores would be allowed to obtain unlimited licenses.
Also important to the compromise is a buffer zone provision, in which the bill draws a radius of 1,500 feet around existing liquor stores and requires grocery stores to buy out liquor stores to obtain licenses within that zone.
Once an issue that barely advanced out of committee, the House approved the legislation Wednesday 57-7 and the Senate approved it Monday 31-4.
All three of Southwest Colorado’s lawmakers supported the effort, including Republican Reps. Don Coram of Montrose and J. Paul Brown of Ignacio, and Sen. Ellen Roberts of Durango.
What led to support is that smaller liquor stores, such as the Korean Liquor Retailers Association and the Ethiopian-Eritrean Liquor Association, back the bill, as do several craft brewers, the Distilled Spirits Council and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Colorado.
But several grocers are holding out, including King Soopers, Safeway and Albertsons. And Applejack Wine and Spirits, a larger liquor store in Wheat Ridge, remains concerned.
For the past few days, lobbyists have buzzed around the Capitol on the issue.
“Make no mistake, every lobbyist in this building has been hired for this bill,” said Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver, who opposed the legislation.
Some liquor stores fear that even phasing in sales in grocery stores would lead to their demise. Meanwhile, some grocers believe they can forge ahead with the ballot effort to allow immediate sales in all grocery stores.
But what most lawmakers came to realize is that the legislation might be their best shot at striking a deal on a contentious issue.
“It will give a level of comfort to the uncertainty that is out there,” Coram said. “It is not perfect. ... But I also believe that you should not sacrifice the good in search of the perfect.”
pmarcus@durangoherald.com
