Pa. House bill contains more options to buy wine, beer

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Legislation advancing in the state House would expand the options available in Pennsylvania for people to buy wine and beer while keeping the state liquor stores open.

The Republican-sponsored bill was approved today on a party-line vote in the House Liquor Control Committee. It is a major departure from the objective of Gov. Tom Corbett to shut down the state stores and auction wine and liquor sales licenses to private operators.

Under the bill, restaurants, bars and beer distributors could sell beer in a wider variety of quantities. Beer distributors also could sell wine, and wine wholesalers could compete with the state.

State liquor stores would be the only licensees that could sell hard liquor. It’s not clear what the bill’s prospects are in the full House or Senate.