Debate over selling
alcohol on Sundays

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Friday marked the 75th anniversary of the end of prohibition.

There's another law governing alcohol that some in Indiana would like to see come to an end as well.

From 1920 until 1933, prohibition kept Hoosiers and others throughout the nation from making or buying most alcohol. When prohibition ended states were allowed to enact their own alcohol laws.

"We're talking about, frankly, ancient history," said Grant Monahan, Indiana Retail Council.

Monahan and the Indiana Retail Council don't like the fact that Indiana law now prohibits drug, grocery and convenience stores from selling alcohol on Sundays.

Monahan said, "The law should give consumers the freedom to decide when they want to purchase their alcoholic beverages."

"In the end, while this is a complicated issue and there are lots of people, lots of parties with different opinions, for us it's very fundamental. It's providing what our customers expect of us in terms of product and service in this 21st century economy," said Kroger Spokesman John Elliott.

Customer Thomas Dunning agrees the law banning Sunday sales should change.

"I think it's definitely time," said Dunning.

Another issue some stores have to deal with is beer can't be sold cold it has to be sold at room temperature. However, liquor stores are allowed to sell cold beer for carry out in Indiana.

The Indiana Retail Council plans to fight in the 2009 state legislative session to allow grocery, drug and convenience stores to sell alcohol on Sundays and to sell cold beer. They'll find opposition in the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers.

"This is just the latest proposal from the grocery, drug and gas station lobby to deregulate the sale of alcohol in our state to increase their profits. That's what it's all about," said John Livengood, Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers.

Seventy-five years after the end of prohibition, the debate over how to regulate alcohol in Indiana is still not over.