The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a
proposal Thursday that would approve the privatization of the
state-controlled wine and liquor store wholesale business and loosen
restrictions on beer sales laws.
This is the second time in two years the proposal has passed the state House. Last session, Senate, failed to take action.
According to the Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau, the proposal passed the Republican-controlled House with a vote of 114-87, with every Democrat and a few Republicans opposed.
Under the bill, private wholesalers, not the state, would market products to retailers, and around 2,500 wine or liquor outlets could replace all but 100 of the approximately 600 state-controlled stores.
Leaders of the Senate Republican majority have been noncommittal about the measure, the Post-Gazette said, adding that it also faces a veto by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, who favors keeping and revamping the state system.
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