Wine in grocery stores will not happen this year

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Dear Red White and Food members,

Thank you for your hard work and dedication this year. You are part of more than 15,000 Tennesseans who have joined and supported the Red White and Food campaign.
Wine in grocery stores was one of the most talked-about issues on Capitol Hill again this year. Not since the income tax debate of the late 1990s has a group of citizens worked so hard to make their voices heard -- and legislators have noticed.

As you have probably learned by now, our House bill sponsor, Rep. David Shepard, withdrew the wine in grocery stores legislation from consideration during Wednesday's meeting of the House State and Local Government Committee. You can read more about his decision to do so here:

Read The Tennessean's coverage

This does not mean that the bill is dead. Unfortunately, it does mean the bill will not pass this year. We are disappointed the Tennessee General Assembly has chosen not to listen to the overwhelming number of Tennesseans who want this change.

At the same time, we believe the legislation will return at some point. Accomplishing this change was going to be difficult in the best of circumstances because of the strong opposition from wine wholesalers and retailers. We just have to keep at it.

The most important outcome of this year's effort is that legislators are talking seriously about overhauling what they believe are antiquated liquor laws. They realize there is a lot of work to be done to make our state's alcoholic beverage laws fair for everyone involved, especially consumers.

We expect to share more information about the legislation in the weeks to come. We will provide you with updates as they become available and will share ways in which you can continue to make your voice heard.

Thanks again for your support.

Cheers,

The Red White and Food Team

Comment

Oh well, maybe next year. In Tennessee, when the Babtist and the liquor industry join forces they are to beat. The tide will turn. Tennessee is becoming less Babtist all the time and more people who have lived elsewhere are finding our arcane liquor and beer laws ridiculous.

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