Bill Would Allow Communities to Determine Sunday Beer, Wine Sales

The Georgia General Assembly may be closer than ever to allowing voters in local communities to decide whether beer and wine can be sold in stores on Sunday.

New Gov. Nathan Deal has said he would not veto the proposal in stark contrast to his predecessor, former Gov. Sonny Perdue.

If the Georgia General Assembly passes House Bill 69 and Senate Bill 10, county commissions and city councils would face the question of whether to put the question before their voters.

District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader, who represents the North Druid Hills-Briarcliff area, also said he would support a ballot asking the question. But he said he also represents a diverse community that includes Christians, Muslims and Jews, among others, who may view the issue differently.

"There is such a diversity of traditions that the Sunday sales prohibition is kind of arbitrary," he said. "[It's] somewhat restrictive for the people I represent."

DeKalb cities such as Dunwoody and Decatur could decide on the issue themselves later this year, during their regularly scheduled municipal elections.

No countywide elections are scheduled for DeKalb County until November 2012. Holding a special election in the county could cost anywhere from $400,000 to $750,000, according to several county election offices.

If the measure is approved, DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis has said he would support letting people decide the issue for themselves, according to county communications director Burke Brennan.

House Bill 69 sailed through the House Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday, with no opposition. One of its sponsors, Powder Springs state Rep. Earl Ehrhart, is seen by many as one of Georgia’s most influential legislators.

The Senate version of the bill, SB10, may face a stronger challenge. It is sponsored by Smyrna state Sen. Doug Stoner.

Jerry Luquire, president of the Georgia Christian Coalition, said he had 22 “no” votes in the Senate by late in the week, and needed six or seven more to derail the measure.

“Local governments are contacting their senators, saying they don’t want the heat that this issue brings,” Luquire said. “They don’t want to have to make that decision, as to whether or not to allow such a referendum.”

Luquire would not name the communities that he said were trying to block the bill. He acknowledged that, if the measures pass the legislature, then most, if not all, metro Atlanta cities and counties would approve Sunday alcohol sales, if city councils and county commissions place the measure on a ballot.

A Feb. 10 poll by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based public opinion research firm, said 78 percent of Georgia voters want the opportunity to vote on Sunday alcohol sales. In metro Atlanta, 83 percent were in favor of the measure. The results were part of the firm’s annual Georgia Legislative Poll, and was not conducted for any corporate sponsor.

If given the chance to decide, 61 percent of metro Atlantans said they would vote for Sunday alcohol sales. Twelve percent were “probably in favor;” 5 percent were “probably against;” 16 percent were “definitely against;” and 6 percent were undecided.

Metro Atlanta voters, men, and residents of urban and suburban areas are most likely to vote in favor, while voters over age 60, non-metro Atlanta voters, and rural residents are the most likely to vote against, the survey found.

Patch editor Jonathan Cribbs provided additional reporting to this story.