More than a dozen Sunday alcohol bills became law in the 2017 regular session

May 19, 2017

 SUNDAY SALES
In the 2017 regular session, laws passed allowing the city councils in Athens,  Clayton, Eufaula, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Littleville, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Stevenson, Thomaston, Troy and Tuscumbia to authorize Sunday alcohol sales. Florence can authorize off-premises sales on Sundays, under legislation that became law this session.

Etowah County and all of its municipalities through referendums also can now allow Sunday sales, while the governing bodies of Elmore County and all of its municipalities can authorize Sunday sales through legislation that became law without the governor’s signature.

Wednesday, May 17, the full House of Representatives and a Senate committee approved a bill that would have allowed the Childersburg City Council with the voters approval to authorize alcohol sales after 1 p.m. on Sundays, but the full Senate never considered the bill.

SUNDAY BRUNCH
Alabama cities and counties that already have Sunday alcohol sales can permit Sunday morning alcohol sales under legislation that became law this session.

DRAFT BEER
A bill authorizing the Greensboro City Council to allow draft beer sales became law without the governor’s signature. It is effective Aug. 1.

SIDEWALK SALES
A law approved in March allows sidewalk alcohol sales in Mobile’s entertainment districts.

A substitute version of SB352 by Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, which would have allowed sidewalk alcohol sales in certain cities, was ready for final consideration in the House on the final week of the regular session, but the House never considered the bill. It would have authorized Class 5 municipalities – cities with populations ranging from 25,000 to 49,999 – to allow Alcoholic Beverage Control Board licensees within an established entertainment district to designate areas of a public sidewalk, right-of-way, street, alley or parking area for alcoholic beverage sales and consumption.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
The city of Phenix City can authorize up to two entertainment districts within its city limits, under legislation that became law in the 2017 regular session.

 

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