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Senate committee leader changes tact on Sunday alcohol sales ban

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – A bill is in the works to allow Sunday alcohol sales in Indiana.

Bills like this have been written before, but state Sen. Ron Alting, a Republican from Lafayette, has never let one get a hearing in his committee.

Alting said he believes attitudes are changing and this session may be different.

“I think I’ve got a good chance of getting the bill through this session and, if I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t be carrying it,” Alting said.

Many local liquor store owners didn’t support the change in the past.

“The main reason we’ve been opposed to Sunday sales is because we know it’s gonna shift market share away from our segment of the industry and move it to the grocery stores,” said Greg Boesch, owner of Bedrock Liquors.

However, now Boesch is thinking differently.

“I kinda had to get pulled along to be on board, but, yeah, we’re on board. I think it’s time,” Boesch said.

Alting said he thinks these bills never made it through because of a lack of collaboration between convenience stores, liquor stores and grocery stores. Which is why this time, he said, he is trying a different approach.

“This could be the session that we see some traction, at least I’m assuming that this is the session for it to happen,” the state senator said.

He said if the bill is passed in the next session, people will be able to buy alcohol on Sundays by July 1 of next year.