Colorado lawmakers pass booze-sales compromise bill

Despite cries from a pair of major grocers that the bill won’t stop them from pursuing their own ballot measure in the fall, Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday passed a bill that would gradually increase the number of liquor licenses grocers and liquor stores can own.

The Denver Business Journal reports that Senate Bill 197 passed by a 57-7 count in the House of Representatives and 31-4 in the Senate. The bill would allow grocery chains — currently allowed only one license for full-strength beer and wine in the state — to attain 19 more over the next 20 years while also allowing liquor stores up to four locations. Once 2037 hits, all restrictions on the number of licenses allowed would go away.

Grocery chains Kroger and Safeway are pushing a ballot measure for the fall election that would allow them to attain as many licenses to sell full-strength beer and wine as they want immediately. That move is being fought by craft brewers and, particularly, liquor store owners, the latter of whom are worried they’ll be put out of business if grocers are able to sell full-strength beer and wine.

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