Senate committee OKs bill opening liquor stores on Election Day

A bill working its way through the Senate would allow state liquor stores to stay open on Election Day.

SB166, sponsored by Sen. Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, was approved unanimously by the Senate Business and Labor Committee on Monday and now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

Last year a similar bill was approved removing the prohibition on bars and private clubs being open for business on Election Day. McCoy said that, in light of that action, it didn't make sense to keep the prohibition on liquor stores in place.

McCoy called the existing law an "old throwback" and pointed out that only two other states still have Election Day restrictions on the sale of alcohol. He said the measure would generate an additional $100,000 per year in new revenue for the state, which would go directly into the state's General Fund.

Sen. Dan Liljenquist, R-Bountiful, asked McCoy at one point if he was advocating that people drink on Election Day.

"I can only speak for myself, and I tend to, but that's a whole other story," said McCoy, adding that he couldn't personally take credit for the entire $100,000.

Before the vote, Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, told McCoy the only risk he saw with the proposal was that "I'd get drunk on Election Day and vote for a Democrat."

"If that's the case, I'll be at your house a couple hours before you go to vote," McCoy said.