In the span of two hours Thursday afternoon, the Pennsylvania House stripped out language approving the private sale of canned cocktails from a bill permanently legalizing to-go mixed drinks, before approving it 170-31.
The proposal now returns to the Senate, which cracked open a three-way political fight between restaurants, the liquor lobby, and the union representing public liquor system employees over whether private alcohol sellers could edge in on a $31.8 million — and growing — market for pre-packaged mixed drinks.
The bill must be approved there, unaltered, to go to Gov. Tom Wolf for his signature.
State Rep. Kurt Masser, R-Northumberland, a caterer by trade, and the bill’s prime sponsor, said he did support allowing restaurants, convenience, and grocery stores to sell six-packs of canned cocktails, known in the industry as “ready-to-drink beverages.”
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