Ga. scraps Sunday alcohol sales ban for local vote

ATLANTA (AP) — Sunday alcohol sales may be coming to stores in one of the last three U.S. states to ban them.

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill Thursday allowing local communities to vote on whether to approve Sunday sales. Only Connecticut and Indiana still have statewide bans like the one Georgia is scrapping.

Several Georgia communities are already planning to put Sunday sales measures on local ballots this year.

The legislation passed after five years of stalling amid pressure from religious groups and a veto threat from then-Gov. Sonny Perdue.

Many restaurants and bars in Georgia can already sell alcohol on Sunday. The new law would let voters approve the sales by grocery and convenience stores.