Colorado Politics

Colorado alcohol debate still bubbling despite new law

Colorado isn’t done arguing about where alcohol should be sold.

A bill moving through the state Senate would allow more Walmarts and other big-box stores to sell liquor, not just beer and wine.

It’s a spirited debate less than a year after Colorado made its biggest alcohol change since the end of Prohibition by allowing more grocers to sell full-strength beer.

The Senate delayed a vote Tuesday on liquor in Walmart.

The delay gives Walmart and its allies an extra day to corral support for the change, calling it a simple update to last year’s alcohol law to expand sales.

Critics of the change say that last year’s hard-fought alcohol compromise is under siege, and that liquor in Walmart could devastate family-owned liquor stores.

“I am concerned this bill will lead to further decline of small independent businesses,” said Democratic Sen. Irene Aguilar of Denver, arguing in vain this week to have the Walmart change removed from the bill.

The booze-in-Walmart debate isn’t partisan. The sponsor of the change sits right next to Aguilar on the Democratic side of the Senate.

“It’s a technical cleanup bill that we need to pass so we can implement what we passed last year,” said Sen. Angela Williams, another Denver Democrat.

Another alcohol bill is also on ice in the Senate.

That measure would have allowed smaller grocers, those without a pharmacy, to compete in the new alcohol field, too. A Senate committee rejected the bill Monday, though Senate leaders say a revised version may yet appear.

In other words, it’s far too soon to say how this alcohol debate will shake out.

But voters should know that changes are likely to the new alcohol law.

The law set up a 20-year period for grocers to slowly acquire liquor licenses, sometimes by paying for those held by neighboring liquor stores.

By 2037, Colorado will repeal its unusual limits on how many licenses a company or chain may hold to sell alcohol. The new law also ends a requirement that most grocers sell only “near-beer,” water-downed versions of common brews.

Beer liquor
Brennan Linsley, Associated Press

PREV

PREVIOUS

Trump pledges 'new chapter of American greatness' in speech to joint session

Heralding a “new chapter of American greatness,” President Donald Trump stood before Congress for the first time Tuesday night and issued a broad call for overhauling the nation’s health care system, significantly boosting military spending and plunging $1 trillion into upgrading crumbling infrastructure. Striking an optimistic tone, Trump declared: “The time for small thinking is […]

NEXT

NEXT UP

Tax check-off for homeless youth headed to the governor

Not bad for a rookie. State Rep. Leslie Herod of Denver scored a big win for homeless youth Tuesday, sending a bill to the governor not even two months into her first session. House Bill 1055 creates an income tax check-off to support the Urban Peak Housing and Support Services for Youth Experiencing Homelessness program. The legislation […]


Welcome Back.

Streak: 9 days i

Stories you've missed since your last login:

Stories you've saved for later:

Recommended stories based on your interests:

Edit my interests