Liquor privatization bill clears Pa. House panel hurdle

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A proposal to sell off most of Pennsylvania’s state-owned liquor system and its wholesale distribution network moved ahead with a vote on the Legislature today, although its prospects to become law remain uncertain.

The state House Liquor Control Committee voted 15-to-10 to advance a Republican-backed proposal that was very similar to a bill that passed the House but stalled in the Senate during the last legislative session.

“At the end of the day, this is a private retail and wholesale business that, in every other state except for one, is managed by the private sector,” said Rep. Chris Ross, R-Chester, the committee chairman. “We don’t have state grocery stores. We don’t have state gas stations.”

The proposal would create 1,200 licenses for retail businesses to sell wine and liquor, giving the current beer distributors the first shot at buying them.

All but 100 of the 600 government-owned and -operated liquor stores would gradually close and employees there would get help finding new jobs.