The General Assembly has approved a bill that makes several changes to laws governing alcohol sales in North Carolina, including letting ABC stores open on certain holidays while having to stay closed on Sundays.
The measure that makes a number of other changes to laws governing alcohol sales in the state still awaits the approval of Governor Roy Cooper, so it won’t allow liquor stores to be open this Independence Day.
Senate Bill 527, which started out as an elevator safety measure that was co-sponsored by Sen. Bobby Hanig (R-Powells Point) that cleared the Senate last year, was gutted by a House committee in September to become an ABC omnibus bill.
While beer and wine can be purchased at regular retailers, the only places you can find hard liquor in North Carolina is at ABC stores, which are governed by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission and are operated by local ABC boards.
“No ABC store shall be open, and no ABC store employee shall sell alcoholic beverages, on any Sunday, New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day,” according to previous state law, with local ABC boards able to dictate other days stores are closed.
It should be noted that small distilleries, like Outer Banks Distilling in Manteo and Buffalo City Distillery in Harbinger, are allowed to sell the products they make on-site on Sundays.
When SB 527 was originally amended, it included language that would have allowed “local governments to adopt an ordinance allowing ABC stores to operate on Sundays, if petitioned to do so by the local board.”
ABC stores would have not be allowed to open any earlier than 10 a.m. on Sunday, if local ordinances allow. Otherwise, they would have to wait until 12 p.m.
The bill would have also allowed ABC stores to operate on New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day, if the local board chose to operate on those days.
The final version of the bill approved last month removed the Sunday provision, leaving just the three holidays in place.
So if you realize on Sunday, Thanksgiving or Christmas Day that you don’t have what you need, you will have to continue to plan on either going without or making the drive to Virginia, which allows their stores to be open on Sunday and some of the holidays.
The final version of the bill also eliminated letting restaurants and bars offer and advertise “happy hour” drink specials.
Other changes in the bill included allowing 15-year-olds to work in establishments that sell alcohol; lets restaurants to sell wine and mixed beverages through delivery services; allows the sale of ready-to-drink cocktails that are purchased for resale to be excluded from the $20 mixed beverage charge; expands where restaurants are allowed to purchase liquor; eases the transfer of liquor licenses when ownership of an establishment changes; allows stores to exclusively sell just beer rather than having to carry wine and operate under a wine store permit; creates a license for mobile bar services; and amends how spiritous liquor can be marketed by ABC stores; and how certain liquor is taxed.
