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Indiana House joins Senate in passing Sunday alcohol sales bill

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The Indiana House has approved a measure that would repeal Indiana’s ban on Sunday carryout alcohol sales.

The bill by Rep. Ben Smaltz of Auburn passed Tuesday on an 87-10 vote. It now moves to the Senate, which passed a virtually identical bill on Monday.

Both measures would allow stores to sell carryout alcohol between noon and 8 p.m. Sundays.

Similar bills have stalled in recent years. But Republican legislative leaders say now’s the time to act.

Separate legislation that would have allowed convenience stores, big box retailers and pharmacies to sell cold – and not just warm – beer faced a different fate. It was voted down in committee last week.

Selling cold carryout beer is a right primarily enjoyed by liquor stores.