After adopting a 35 page amendment, Pennsylvania’s House Liquor Control Committee voted HB 790 out of committee. The liquor privatization bill then faced 7 hours of debate on the floor before passing the House by 15 votes.
Senator Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware) said that he expects the Senate to take up the bill within the next few months though implied there may be additional modifications.
“I don’t think anyone expects the Senate to simply take up the House bill and move it to the governor’s desk as is.”
Democrats remain opposed to the bill, even with modifications, and the United Food and Commercial Workers, 1776 union has promised to lobby against it.
Do you think liquor bill HB 790 will pass the Senate? Total Voters: 466
3 Responses
Eventually we will be paying less pensions! Just pass the bill.
@Bridget,
I’m not quite sure how much experience you have buying wine and liquor in neighboring states, but I doubt you will see cheaper alcohol prices at private retailers in Pennsylvania. I live in Philadelphia and frequently see the prices in both New Jersey and Delaware are no cheaper, and often more expensive, than in Pennsylvania.
Also, the majority of what makes alcohol so “expensive” in Pennsylvania is not the price charged by the retailer, but rather the 18% “Johnstown Flood tax” (originally designed to pay for recovery from the 1936 Johnstown Flood) plus the Pennsylvania sales and use tax (it differs based on where you live). Under every proposal by Governor Corbett, Representative Turzai and others, both of those taxes will remain in place, and you would continue to pay them at private liquor retailers in Pennsylvania.
I don’t care whether Pennsylvania privatizes its liquor and wine retail operation, and what I wrote above are facts rather than opinions.
It’s time to pass the savings onto consumers. Alcohol is big business, which explains the kicking and screaming. Please pass HB790.